QUEENS — Comedian Kevin Meaney was arrested in JFK Airport Tuesday night after he elbowed a woman in the chest "for no apparent reason," police said, but the Queens District Attorney's office decided that it will not prosecute the case.
The DA's office said Wednesday afternoon it will not pursue the charges because the victim left the country before being interviewed and the video recorded by surveillance cameras only showed the victim and the comedian bumping into one another.
According to the Port Authority Police, which leveled the charges, Meaney, 58, who regularly does stand-up at the Comedy Cellar and starred in '90s TV show "Uncle Buck," was walking through Terminal 1 about 6:30 p.m. when he elbowed a 29-year-old woman who was walking toward him.
"Two independent witnesses say it was unprovoked and it was in a crowd," said Joe Pentangelo, spokesman for the Port Authority. "The say nothing precipitated the actions of the suspect."
Meaney was initially charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, the Port Authority said. The woman said she was in pain but refused medical attention, according to the PA.
This was the second airport arrest for the comedian, who was accused of fighting with a National Guardsman and grabbing his loaded M-16 rifle at San Francisco International Airport in 2002, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Meaney was scheduled to tour in Israel next week, according to his website. In addition to his stand-up shows, he also appeared on Broadway in "Hairspray."
His agent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.