Texas Man Charged in Flight Attendant Attack

Colby Isaac Hilleary, 24, of Greenville, Texas, is behind bars after allegedly assaulting a flight attendant mid-air during an American Airlines flight, federal prosecutors say. The incident, which forced an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, has been charged as interference with the duties of a flight attendant—a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The chaos unfolded on March 2, 2018, shortly after Flight 1037 took off from Fort Lauderdale en route to Dallas. Hilleary bolted from his seat and sprinted toward the cockpit, screaming that the plane was ‘going the wrong way’ and claiming ‘there are no pilots on the plane.’ A flight attendant ordered him back to his seat, calmly explaining the aircraft was on course and would soon turn. He complied—but only temporarily.

Once seated, Hilleary’s behavior spiraled. He told crew members the plane had been hijacked, growing louder and more erratic. When a flight attendant approached in a final attempt to calm him, Hilleary suddenly jumped up and punched her in the face. Passengers nearby rushed to restrain him as the crew alerted the cockpit.

The captain immediately declared an emergency and diverted the flight to Tampa International Airport, where FBI agents were waiting upon landing. Hilleary was taken into custody without further incident. The injured flight attendant received medical attention but was not hospitalized.

A federal criminal complaint filed in the Middle District of Florida outlines the charges against Hilleary. Authorities stress that the complaint is an allegation, not a conviction—Hilleary is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale. If convicted, Hilleary faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

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