The grandson of former presidential candidate Ron Paul and son of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is charged with assaulting a flight attendant during a U.S. Airways flight from Lexington, Ky., to Charlotte last weekend.
William Paul, 19, was arrested Jan. 5 at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport after his flight landed. The Bowling Green, Ky., resident, also was charged with consuming beer/wine underage, disorderly conduct and being intoxicated and disruptive.
Initial news reports last week did not cite the assault charge, but it is unclear why that charge was not reported at the time.
The misdemeanor assault on a female by aggressive physical force charge was confirmed by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Saturday.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Lt. Shawn Crooks said that all of the charges against Paul were filed Jan. 5 but did not know why the assault charge had not been reported in the media.
Paul was possibly served alcohol on the flight, police said, but U.S. Airways denies serving alcohol to the teen.
After the arrest last week, Senator Rand Paul’s office released a statement asking for privacy. “Sen. Paul is a national public figure and subject to scrutiny in the public arena,” the statement read. “However, as many parents with teenagers would understand, his family should be afforded the privacy and respect they deserve in a situation such as this.”
WCNC-TV contributed
