Runaway Flight Attendant Has HIV: Report

Steven Slater, the JetBlue attendant who told a passenger to f--- off, grabbed a beer, and then fled down an emergency slide, has told police that he’s HIV positive, sources tell the New York Daily News. If that weren’t bad enough, neighbors say his mother is dying of lung cancer. “She’s had two chemos and the prognosis is not good,” said one woman whose son lives with Slater. She described the 38-year-old as a nice guy.

Slater was arrested after the incident and was arraigned in court today on reckless endangerment and criminal mischief charges. The defense had asked the court to release Slater without bail, but the judge instead set bail at $2,500. Slater was smiling as he left the courtroom, according to the AP. (More Steven Slater stories.)