The niece of former New Jersey governor Chris Christie was arrested after she allegedly bit one sheriff’s deputy and accused a Latino family of smuggling cocaine. She also allegedly injured six sheriff’s deputies and was ejected from a Spirit Airlines flight.
On Thanksgiving Day, a 6 a.m. flight from New Orleans, Louisiana to New Jersey is accused of being disrupted by Shannon Epstein, 25. According to Jason Rivarde, a spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, she questioned a Latino family seated nearby if they were trafficking cocaine.
According to the local outlet’s initial allegation on Saturday, Epstein, the niece of the unsuccessful Republican presidential candidate in 2016, became agitated and was disruptive on the aircraft.
She was removed from the aircraft by airline personnel after it had already departed the gate.
However, the sheriff’s office claimed that Epstein allegedly refused to leave when the plane touched down and was violent when confronted by authorities.
She bit one deputy on the arm and broke flesh while fighting arrest, according to Rivarde, injuring six deputies in total. She gave another cop a kick to the groin, he continued.
In addition to threatening the officers, Epstein said that she knew influential individuals and that her uncle was friends with former President Donald Trump, according to Rivarde.
“Throughout her entire interaction with deputies, she repeatedly stated that they would lose their jobs or be arrested because of her familial relationships.”
She had to be taken from the location after being handcuffed to a wheelchair.
Six counts of violence on a police officer, three counts of disturbing the peace, one count of refusing arrest by force, and one offense of remaining after prohibition were brought against the brazenly speaking Garden State politician’s niece.
On Thanksgiving Day, she posted $10,750 bail and was freed from Jefferson Parish Correctional Facility. On January 23, she will appear in court again.