Selma Blair Arrested After Alleged Assaults on Delta Flight, Released on Bail

Actor Selma Blair was arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday night after flight attendants on a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles reported a physically abusive passenger. She was later charged with second-degree assault, appeared in Queens Criminal Court on Monday, and was released after posting $20,000 bail.

Port Authority police responded to Delta flight 938 around 11 p.m. local time on 11 October. Two flight attendants sustained injuries. One had bite marks and another a laceration. One attendant was taken to hospital for evaluation. Blair was restrained on the aircraft, taken into custody, and transported to a hospital. She was later released from hospital and taken to Queens Central Booking.

Court records show she faces two counts of second-degree assault. She pleaded not guilty before Judge Indira D. Khan. Bail was set at $20,000 cash or $60,000 bond. She paid by credit card and was released. A further hearing is scheduled for 19 January. The FBI issued a District Court Violation Notice for the on-board incident. Delta said it has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behaviour.

A representative for Blair said she experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct. She received immediate medical attention after landing and is in stable condition. Law enforcement sources said she also allegedly kicked a Port Authority officer while being transported and assaulted a nurse at the hospital. Those additional allegations form part of the state charges.

Blair, 54, is known for roles in Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde and Hellboy. She has spoken publicly about living with multiple sclerosis. Her representatives have not provided further medical details beyond the statement about an emergency on the flight. The Port Authority confirmed her identity and the response to the call about a physically abusive passenger.

The incident occurred as the plane taxied to the gate after the flight from Los Angeles. Air traffic control audio captured the pilot requesting medical personnel for injuries including a bloody nose and bite marks. Blair was met by law enforcement at the gate. The combination of the on-board allegations and the later alleged assaults on the officer and nurse produced the state charges filed in Queens.

No trial date has been set beyond the next hearing in January. The federal violation notice requires a later appearance in Brooklyn federal court. The maximum sentence on the state second-degree assault charges is two to seven years if she is convicted. Blair’s team has described the events as the result of a medical emergency rather than intentional conduct.

The case adds a high-profile example to the record of in-flight disturbances that airlines and airports treat as safety matters. Delta’s statement emphasised crew and passenger safety. The outcome of the charges will depend on evidence from the flight attendants, the officer, the nurse, and any medical records presented in court.