6 Cops Hurt; Man Attacked NJ Plane Cockpit, Beat Attendant: PD

NEW JERSEY – A man barreled into a New Jersey plane’s cockpit, pounded at the door, beat a flight attendant and fought with officers during a horrific incident this week, authorities said.

Matthew Dingley, 28, of New York, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and interfering with transportation on Thursday after injuring the flight attendant and six officers, according to the Port Authority.

The United Express flight from Dulles International Airport was about to touch down in New Jersey around 8:51 p.m. when Dingley's erratic behavior started making everyone on board nervous, according to NBC. Dingley allegedly got out of his seat and made a beeline for the door of the cockpit.

A passenger on the flight to Newark told NBC that it escalated when Dingley charged the cockpit and began to pound on the door. Dingley then attacked and beat a flight attendant who tried to intervene: "A slight woman, petite, and this guy was clocking her," Mike Egbert, who was sitting in the second row aboard flight 4965 from Washington D.C. to Newark, told NBC.

Once the plane came to a stop on the tarmac and the plane door opened, the suspect charged Port Authority police officers who responded to the call, causing them to fall down the plane’s stairs that was used to discharge the passengers, and hit the pavement, according to the Port Authority.

More officers responded to assist and were successful in restraining the suspect. Six officers suffered injuries during the altercation, including one officer who broke four ribs, according to the Port Authority. They and the flight attendant were transported to the hospital and treated and released, the Port Authority said.

Dingley reportedly had problems before: He was arrested in Dare County, N.C. in 2016 on several charges related to a vehicle theft and an attempted larceny, according to News3. After a brief foot chase, he was apprehended.