Md. man pleads guilty for punching Dulles Airport gate agent – WTOP News

A Frederick, Maryland, man has pleaded guilty for verbally harassing and physically assaulting a gate agent at Dulles International Airport in March.

Christopher Crittenden, 54, plead guilty Friday to interfering with security screening personnel, which is a federal violent crime, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

On March 13, Crittenden, who was set to fly to Atlanta on a United Airlines flight, became irate over flight delays, according to the news release. He yelled at a gate agent and was asked to “refrain from using profane language and to step aside,” according to court documents.

Crittenden walked away but returned “after ripping his boarding pass apart” and asked for a new one. The captain of the flight eventually approached Crittenden and told him he would not be allowed to board the flight as they said he was inebriated and verbally harassing staff.

That’s when Crittenden approached the gate agent and punched him in the mouth with a closed fist, according to the court documents.

The gate agent fell to the floor and briefly lost consciousness, court documents said.

Other passengers restrained Crittenden until Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority officers took him into custody.

In a statement to WTOP, United Airlines said it had no comment on whether or not Crittenden is banned from the airline.

Crittenden is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Oct. 9 and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.

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