Miami, Florida – A former leader of an ayahuasca church in Florida, Everett Chad Nelson, 44, is facing criminal charges for assaulting a passenger on a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. According to a federal complaint filed on Tuesday, Nelson punched a sleeping male passenger repeatedly in the face and head, causing blood to splatter in the cabin.
During the flight, Nelson left his seat and began the assault, which lasted for a full minute, leaving the victim with black eyes and a gash on his nose. The motive for the attack remains unknown, with no prior relationship between Nelson and the victim mentioned in the complaint. A Good Samaritan managed to intervene and stop the assault after the victim began screaming.
After the attack, flight attendants moved Nelson to another seat where he was monitored for the rest of the flight. Witnesses reported the incident, and the victim received medical attention from a doctor onboard. The victim, who was deaf and non-verbal, endured a traumatic experience during the flight.
Nelson, who grew up in a strict fundamentalist Baptist family, turned to ayahuasca and spiritual study after rejecting his religious beliefs. He now leads an ayahuasca church in Florida and has plans to build a sacred temple for ceremonies and conservation efforts. The Federal Aviation Administration views such disturbances as physically abusive behavior, leading to intervention from law enforcement upon landing.
The incident is part of a growing trend of unruly passenger behavior on flights, with the FAA receiving numerous reports of disruptive incidents. Nelson faces a charge of assault and will stand trial in December. His case highlights the need for increased security and awareness of in-flight incidents on commercial flights.