A mixed martial arts fighter attacked a fellow traveler at a Spirit Airlines ticket counter this week after being denied a flight.
Fox News reported that the alleged instigator of the fight, which took place at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday night, was Charles Haywood.
MORE Airlines & Airports
Haywood was denied a flight because he appeared on the “no-fly” list and had no identification. Amid his anger, Haywood struck a victim several times in the face, kicked him and choked him.
Three witnesses, one of them a priest, intervened in the fight, according to Fox News. Haywood was later arrested.
Haywood’s wife told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that her husband, an MMA fighter, was under a great deal of stress, likely tied to an upcoming fight he was scheduled to participate in.
According to witnesses, it was Haywood who threw the first punch. The incident was also captured on camera.
CHAOS AT AIRPORT! MMA fighter arrested at crowded #Atlanta airport after fighting with travelers, police officers – https://t.co/z0kTxYYLjV
We’ll have all the details and video of the altercation, coming up on Channel 2 Action News This Morning pic.twitter.com/alJ6smpWY7
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) October 4, 2018
Haywood became incensed when he was told he was not able to board a Spirit Airlines flight because he was on a no-fly list. He then began aggressively approaching other travelers before zeroing in on the victim, Ivan Williams.
“It took a priest and two ladies to get him away,” Williams later recalled.
Even after police arrived at the Atlanta airport, Haywood refused to cooperate. He proceeded to threaten officials, Fox News reported. One officer suffered a hand injury during the encounter.
In the end, Haywood was arrested on charges of battery and obstruction. He was bailed out one day later.
