Delta Passenger Accused of Being Unruly and Abusive During Flight Faces Federal Charges

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment today charging a Netherlands national, living in Arizona, with multiple federal charges, including interference with a flight crew. 

According to court documents, Darnel Silver Collins, 19, of Surprise, Arizona, was a passenger onboard a Delta Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Salt Lake City, who allegedly engaged in unruly and abusive behavior one hour after takeoff. Collins continued to cause problems and had to be consistently monitored for the remaining nine hours of the flight. 

According to witnesses, Collins was loud, disruptive, threatening and abusive to other passengers and crew members. Throughout the flight, Collins’ behavior escalated and he eventually had to be restrained. As alleged in the complaint, during the flight, Collins began following and touching multiple passengers. At one point, Collins approached a female passenger as she was exiting the restroom. Collins grabbed onto the female passenger’s arm and did not release her until another passenger and flight crew member intervened. Approximately eight passengers were moved from the area around Collins seat to avoid further problems. Eventually, Collins was moved to the very back row of the aircraft. Collins spit on a passenger striking at least two other people with his saliva and he continued to touch passengers as they walked by. Due to his continued unwanted touching of other passengers, Collins was physically restrained in flexicuffs by the flight crew. He was taken into custody upon arrival at Salt Lake City International Airport. Collins is in the United States on a P1 Visa (National/International athletes and performers). Collins is a minor league baseball player and is sponsored by the Kansas City Baseball Corporation. He travels between the U.S. and the Netherlands during the baseball off-season. 

Collins is charged with interference with a flight crew and assault by striking, beating, and wounding in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Feb. 1, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. 

U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.

An FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating the case.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. 

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.