An American Airlines passenger launched an attack on a fellow traveler and a flight attendant while swallowing rosary beads to ward off a “satanic disciple” he believed had stowed away on the flight.

Delange Augustin, 31, was approached in the cabin after flight attendants feared he was suffering from a seizure, before he began his “spiritual battle” against them and the “evil” he believed was on board the aircraft.

According to a criminal complaint and supporting affidavit obtained by The Independent, the incident took place on March 10 on a flight from Savannah, Georgia, with an intended destination of Miami, Florida.

Less than one minute after take-off, the complaint states, an attendant observed Augustin “in what appeared to be a fit of epilepsy” as he was “stomping, incoherent yelling, and shaking.”

When two attendants approached to check on him, Augustin turned in his seat and delivered a powerful two-footed kick to the chest of one, sending them flying across the aisle and row of seats, into the far window.

Augustin’s actions “appeared purposeful,” contrary to the prior belief that he had been in medical distress, the affidavit states, which caused the attendants to be afraid.

The commotion was heard from the cockpit by the pilots, who agreed to return to Savannah. This decision, however, enraged Augustin further, and he began “punching and kicking the seat and passenger in front of him,” eventually causing the seat to collapse. He later calmed down.

When the flight landed back in Georgia, Augustin removed his seatbelt and “stormed the front” while clutching his sister, his traveling companion, to him, the affidavit stated. At the front of the aircraft, he cornered a flight attendant in the galley and threw several “haymakers”, at least one of which “belted her upper arm.”

Three passengers intervened, pulling both Augustin and his sister to the ground. Airport Police then boarded the plane and subdued Augustin, and he was later transported to the hospital by EMS for evaluation due to the violence as well as “the ingestion of rosary beads.”

Speaking to authorities afterwards, Augustin’s sister, Medjina Augustin, said her brother had been trying to protect her as they had been on their way to Haiti “to flee religious attacks of a spiritual nature.”

She told police that “the evil comes out in the darkness,” adding that she “had never experienced as much darkness as was on the plane that evening,” the affidavit stated.

Once on the plane, she said, Augustin had told her to “close her eyes and pray because Satan’s disciple(s) had followed them onto the plane and the legion did not want the Augustins to make it to Haiti.” Medjina continued to pray while he launched his double-footed kick and the subsequent violence on the crew members.

Augustin had swallowed the rosary beads “because they are a weapon of strength in the spiritual warfare,” his sister said.

“Medjina indicated Augustin was not suffering from any medical or mental health issue or impairment. Rather, Augustin needed to fight for both him and his sister,” the affidavit stated.

Augustin was booked into Chatham County jail on a misdemeanor battery charge, a misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement charge, and a felony count of criminal property damage, according to the jail’s records. A lawyer or place of residence was not listed.

According to the affidavit, there is also “probable cause” to charge him with interference with flight crew members following the incident.

“We appreciate the professionalism of the entire crew and thank our passengers for their understanding,” American Airlines said in a statement.