On December 23, Patricia Cornwall, a Delta Airlines passenger, assaulted an elderly man who ate and drank with his mask off. The incident, filmed by a fellow passenger, has gone viral online.
As the video gained traction on social media, netizens dubbed Patricia Cornwall as a 'Karen.' The pejorative internet slang describes a white, often-racist, privileged woman who is more demanding of others than normal.
The flight was traveling from Tampa to Atlanta. As the intense argument took place, Patricia Cornwall had ironically pulled down her face mask, exposing her chin. During the flight spat, she was heard saying- "Put your f**king mask up!" She also yelled- "don't you dare talk to me like that!"
Who is Patricia Cornwall? What happened to her following the flight discord?
Patricia Cornwall is a real estate agent who used to live in Los Angeles. She has worked for the likes of Coldwell Banker and Berkshire Hathaway in the past. The 51-year-old was a cheerleader for the Raiders (NFL team) in the 1990s. She has also played a minor part in Baywatch under the name "Patty Breton".
Patricia Cornwall resorted to physical assault during the flight altercation. She struck the man and proceeded to spit on the man's face. As the flight Karen became vivid with anger, crew members did their best to calm the agitated woman. Once the flight landed, Patricia Cornwall was detained by police and given over to the FBI.
Responding to the altercation, former prosecutor Darryl Cohen said:
"You can't make this stuff up. It is something that is just unbelievable."
This is not the first time there has been such tension on a flight. Earlier this year, a woman erratically yelled into a flight microphone about Covid-19. She said:
“The pandemic started all because humans had lost a little bit of faith."
In August this year, a Spirit Airlines passenger nonchalantly lit up a cigarette saying that "it's been a long day."
As Patricia Cornwall went viral on social media, many stated that she should be banned from flying. A few called her a "danger" to be around.
Patricia Cornwall has been booked for assault, but the exact charges have not been revealed. Legal experts have stated that she could be facing misdemeanor and felony charges. Criminal charges for assault and battery also stand as a possibility.