A remark about civil rights activist Rosa Parks sparked a violent altercation on a Delta Airlines flight on December 3.
According to federal court records, Patricia Cornwall injured passengers and flight attendants during an altercation on flight 2790 from Tampa to Atlanta.
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Cornwall, 51, was making her way from the restroom back to her seat near the front of the plane when her path was blocked by a flight attendant’s cart in the narrow aisle.
The flight attendant asked Cornwall to take an empty seat in the back until she was done serving passengers. Cornwall, who is white, replied, “What am I, Rosa Parks?”
An 80-year-old passenger sitting nearby took offense to Cornwall’s remark and told her that she “isn’t black… this isn’t Alabama and this isn’t a bus.”
A viral video, shared on Twitter by ATL Uncensored, shows what happened next.
Cornwall became irate and snapped at the older gentleman who had pulled his face mask down to eat.
“Put your f****** mask on,” she said.
“Sit down Karen. You’re a God d***ed Karen, sit down,” said the man, using a pejorative term for angry white women.
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that… stand your a** up,” said Cornwall, who then proceeded to slap and spit on the unidentified passenger.
Delta flight from Tampa to Atlanta got crazy?? pic.twitter.com/I9BZUKv3LB
— ATL Uncensored | Atlanta News (@ATLUncensored) December 25, 2021
Cornwall was restrained by other passengers until the plane landed at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport. The FBI took her into custody since she was in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 113(a)(4), assault on board a plane.
According to Heavy.com, Cornwall was released on $20,000 unsecured bond during a court hearing on Monday, Dec. 27.
She is banned from traveling on major airlines, except for her flight back home to California. She can also fly back to Georgia for future court appearances, as long as she takes her anxiety medications.
According to Heavy.com, Cornwall is a luxury realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty in California. She is a former Playboy model and former Raiders cheerleader. She also appeared in a 1990s episode of “Baywatch” under the name Patty Breton.
Patty Breton as Petra
Season 7 Episode 2 "The Contest"#Baywatch #Rannavalve #sun #sea #sand #90s #omq #omv #The90s #swimsuit #swimwear #beach #surfing #rescue #LosAngeles #Malibu #VigilantesDeLaPlaya #Hasselhoff #Lifeguards #RandomBaywatch pic.twitter.com/8Ijr83aF16
— Random Baywatch (@RandomBaywatch) December 16, 2018