Cranberries lead singer Dolores O’Riordan assaults flight attendant, then head-butts cop
The lead singer of the Irish rock band allegedly assaulted a female flight attendant on an overnight flight from Kennedy Airport to Ireland — and she head-butted a cop who tried to arrest her, authorities say.
Dolores O’Riordan, 43, was arrested as soon as the plane landed at Shannon Airport early Monday, cops say.
“An incident took place on board flight EI110 en route from New York to Shannon today,” a spokesman for Aer Lingus told The Guardian. “The matter is being investigated by An Garda Síochána. As this is a security matter we will not comment any further.”
O’Riordan apparently became agitated while sitting in business class shortly before the plane landed.
“There was a woman standing up and she was shouting,” a passenger who was sitting in economy told the Irish Independent. “It was about 20 minutes before landing but to be honest, we didn’t think much of it at first. It quietened down for a while and after landing it started again.”
After the plane landed just before 5 a.m., O’Riordan head-butted a cop who tried to take her into custody, Irish authorities told CNN.
The flight attendant suffered a foot injury and the injured officer did not need medical care, the Guardian reported.
The Cranberries were one of the most popular bands of the 1990s, and cranked out such hits as “Zombie,” “Linger” and “Dreams.”
Update
Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan has been discharged from hospital and released without charge from custody by Irish police.
She had been arrested on Monday following an alleged air rage incident on a flight from the United States.
Ms O’Riordan was detained after an air hostess was reportedly attacked on an Aer Lingus flight from New York to Shannon, County Clare.
Irish police said investigations were continuing.
