Pastor faces federal charges after allegedly attacking wife over flight upgrade

A pastor is facing charges in federal court for allegedly hitting his wife on the head during a flight even though she had been upgraded and he had not.

The incident reportedly occurred on July 2 aboard an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Anchorage, Alaska.

According to the complaint, Roger Allan Holmberg, Sr. and his wife were on their way to an event related to their office.

According to statements from witnesses interviewed by Anchorage Airport Police listed in the complaint, Holmberg asked his wife, “How the hell did you get the upgrade?”

She replied, “I’m a Gold Point member. Don’t talk to me like that.”

According to the prosecution, Holmberg handed his wife his phone from the hallway and told her to read it, gesturing with his middle finger.

Some time after giving her his phone, Holmberg allegedly tried to grab his wife and hit her on the head.

According to the complaint, another witness told airport police that Holmberg went to the first class bathroom after the incident. When he came out, the witness confronted him and said, “If there were any more incidents, we would handcuff him.”

In her interview with airport police, Holmberg’s wife said he hit her on the head with the back of his knuckles. She said Holmberg knew she had epilepsy and contact with her head could trigger a seizure. She claimed he had abused her in the past and had broken her finger before.

According to the complaint, Holmberg told authorities he was upset that his wife “had been upgraded to first class because he wanted his wife to travel with him and sit next to him. Although he was upset, he stated that he was not a violent person and did not intend to hurt his wife.”

He told authorities that he “patted his wife on the head as he passed by to get her attention,” adding that he and his wife had gone to marriage counseling and that his wife had “often been disrespectful toward him and had anger issues.”

He told authorities about a previous incident in which she allegedly grabbed his leg while driving and broke her finger.

The complaint states that when the flight crew learned of the incident, they notified police. Holmberg was arrested on landing for simple assault and taken to the Anchorage Correctional Center. According to court documents, he has since been released and is not allowed to come within 100 yards of his wife.

In a statement to ABC News, an Alaska Airlines spokesperson said: “Mr. Holmberg was banned from flying on our flights and on July 3, he was charged with assault by the U.S. government (FBI).”

Holmberg did not respond to a request for comment.