According to authorities, a woman who claimed to be related to former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was kicked off of a Spirit Airlines flight on Thanksgiving Day and injured six deputies. On the morning of November 24, the 25-year-old Shannon Epstein asked a family seated near her, who she believed were Latino if they were “smuggling cocaine,” said Captain Jason Rivarde of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. She was then asked to leave the New Jersey-bound flight at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans.
Rivarde said that Epstein refused to exit the jet bridge connecting the plane to the terminal gate and “became extremely combative.” Not wanting to leave the flight, she started to fight the Jefferson Parish deputies and injured six of them. One of them was bit by her on the arm and another was kicked in the groin by Epstein, said NBC News.
Deputies were told by Epstein during the flight that they were going to lose their jobs or go to jail because she is allegedly related to Chris Christie, said the Times-Picayune reports. The former New Jersey governor and a friend of former President Trump. But as Epstein continued to try to bite deputies, she was arrested and handcuffed to a wheelchair.
The former New Jersey governor’s niece was charged with six counts of battery on a police officer, three counts of disturbing the peace, one count of resisting arrest by force, and one count of remaining after being forbidden.
According to Rivarde, the 25-year-old was released from the Jefferson Parish Correction Center the same day, as she posted $10,750 bail. At this time, it is still not clear if Epstein has an attorney. Her next court date is not until next year, which will be held on January 23.