Former FSU student wreaks havoc on Delta flight
He was subdued by having a wine bottle broken over his head
Recent FSU alum Joseph Daniel Hudek IV, from Tampa, FL recently wreaked havoc on a Delta flight from Seattle to Beijing on July 6th, garnering national attention.
During the incident, Hudek reportedly attacked flight attendants after exiting the bathroom and attempted to pry open the lever on the emergency exit door during the flight. Hudek got so out of control that a flight attendant smashed a wine bottle over his head in an attempt to stop his progress, as multiple others fought to subdue him. Hudek responded to this unfazed, screaming, “Do you know who I am?” Eventually, with the help of passengers, Hudek was put in plastic zip ties and detained. The flight then returned to Seattle to make an emergency landing.
The reason for Hudek’s outburst is unknown, however this is not his first run-in with the law, according to The Tampa Bay Times. Hudek was charged with felony child abuse battery and possession of alcohol by a minor in 2012. Both of these charges were eventually dropped. Hudek was also arrested in 2008 for criminal mischief and trespassing on school grounds.
Why Hudek tried to open the emergency door during the flight remains unknown. National authorities believe that it was not an attempted act of terrorism, despite the fact that opening an emergency door mid-flight could have endangered the lives of everyone on the plane. In addition, Hudek was deemed sober at the time of the incident, despite having ordered one beer during the flight, according to the FBI affidavit. It is not yet known if he was under the influence of another substance, which could have triggered his outburst. Mental health issues are not believed to have influenced this incident either, as Hudek does not have any reported mental illnesses.
Hudek used to take online classes at Florida State and his detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday, July 13th.