Man Arrested by FBI for Allegedly Choking, Punching Woman on Flight

A Richmond man who allegedly choked and punched a woman on a Southwest Airlines flight en route to San Francisco in October was arrested today, according to the FBI. FBI agents arrested Lawrence Wells, 54, today after an indictment was returned Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury while on an aircraft.

The indictment stems from allegations that Wells assaulted a passenger seated in front of him 10 minutes into a flight out of Los Angeles International Airport on Oct. 18, according to the FBI. Wells allegedly choked a female passenger and punched her in the head with a closed fist, causing the woman to suffer injuries, FBI officials said.

No further details on the incident were provided. After being informed of the situation, the aircraft’s captain declared that there would be an emergency landing and the plane returned to Los Angeles International Airport, FBI officials said.

Various law enforcement agencies then immediately investigated the allegations. Wells was scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court in Los Angeles today based on the indictment. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, FBI officials said.

By Bay City News