Broward County Jail Valerie Gonzalez.
Valerie Gonzalez, 32, was arrested and charged with battery following an angry outburst on a JetBlue plane that was recorded and has since gone viral.
Gonzalez was flying from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Las Vegas on February 14, 2019. She reportedly became upset after she was seated next to a small child. Witnesses recorded her cursing at other passengers; she was even recorded spitting at the person sitting in front of her.
The videos embedded below include graphic language.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Valerie Gonzalez Was Recorded Spitting & Yelling at Other Passengers
At the beginning of the video, posted to Twitter by Orlando Alzugaray, Valerie Gonzalez is heard saying, “She’s old, sorry!” She appears to be talking to someone on her phone, saying that she had not done anything wrong. She is also heard saying, “I’m not getting off this flight.”
Gonzalez soon realized she was being recorded. At :28, she looked ahead of her, and yelled out, “Oh, you want to f***ing tape me, make this viral b*tches?” In the video, you can see her spit right before another passenger stepped in front of the camera. Another passenger is heard asking, “Did she just spit on you?”
Gonzalez stands up at :58, saying “making this viral” and asking repeatedly “what did I do?” She exclaimed, “I called someone old, cuz they were? Alright, I’ll get my bag… I’ll take my f***ing sh*t. F*ck all y’all. My mom’s going to be so proud of me tomorrow, I don’t give a f*ck. I didn’t do anything, I sat down in my seat. And I asked to go somewhere else because they were being c*nts. But I get kicked off.” Gonzalez then asks again who was taping her and blew kisses at the various cameras.
At 1:53, you can hear a JetBlue employee asking for the airport to call the Broward County Sheriff’s department.
2. Police: Gonzalez Admitted She Had Been Drinking Alcohol & Hit a JetBlue Worker After She Had Gotten Off the Plane
The outburst reportedly began after Valerie Gonzalez was seated next to a toddler. According to the arrest report, obtained by the Miami Herald, Gonzalez told the aircraft crew, “I’m not sitting next to a f***ing 3-year-old. I’ve been drinking all day.” Gonzalez then moved to another seat without asking for permission, which is where she was sitting in the recorded video.
Gonzalez was removed from the plane, but the situation continued to escalate. The arrest report reportedly explains that Gonazlez tried to turn around and get back on the plane. A JetBlue worker blocked her, and in retaliation, Gonzalez reportedly hit the worker over the head.
Deputies arrested her and took her out of the airport in a wheelchair. The Miami Herald reports that deputies used leg restraints in the cruiser because Gonzalez reportedly would not stop kicking.
3. Valerie Gonzalez Was Charged With Battery
Valerie Gonzalez was booked into the Broward County Jail on February 14.
She appeared before a judge the next day and was charged with Battery, according to the booking report filed by the Broward County Sheriff’s office. It is a first-degree misdemeanor.
Bond was set at $1,000 and Gonzalez was released.
4. Valerie Gonzalez is a New York City Resident
‘Crazy chick’ didn’t want to sit next to a toddler on a plane. Then came the tantrum. t.co/h7aOS0GgPQ
Valerie Gonzalez is from New York City. The booking report lists an address located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. (We have blocked out the address in the report embedded above).
Gonzalez was flying from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Las Vegas at the time of her arrest.
A search of the New York State Unified Court System does not bring up any prior cases.
5. JetBlue Released a Brief Statement Referring All Questions to the Broward County Sheriff
JetBlue released a short statement following Valerie Gonzalez’s arrest. It reads:
“On Thursday, February 14 – during the boarding of flight 7 from Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas – crewmembers reported a disruptive customer onboard. Local law enforcement was called and the customer was removed from the flight. Additional details should be directed to Broward County Sheriff’s Office.”
