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Passenger arrested after confrontation with police at Newark Airport

NEWARK, N.J. — A 28-year-old man is accused of assault after a confrontation Thursday night with Port Authority police officers at Newark Liberty International Airport, authorities said.

Matthew Dingley, of New York, was charged with aggravated assault, criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and interfering with transportation, NJ.com reported.

According to witnesses, the United Express flight from Dulles International Airport in Washington was about to land in New Jersey around 9 p.m when Dingley allegedly got out of his seat and headed for the cockpit door, WNBC reported.

“This guy was in a full sprint, right up to the cockpit, hits the cockpit, starts banging on it,” passenger Mike Egbert told the television station.

According to Port Authority spokesman Scott Ladd, Dingley charged the officers who had ascended the plane from the tarmac, NJ.com reported. That caused the officers to fall down the stairs, and one of them was hospitalized, the website reported.

Other officers responded to the tarmac and were able to restrain Dingley, NJ.com reported. Six officers were injured in the incident.

Dingley was placed in the Essex County Correctional Facility, the website reported.