Delta passenger stole airport tug and drove around tarmac at California airport before crashing, official says
By Aaron Cooper, Alexandra Skores, CNN
(CNN) — A Delta Air Lines passenger went out a terminal door at a Southern California airport Tuesday night, stole a vehicle on the tarmac, crashed it, and then tried to commandeer an airline truck before he was arrested, an airport official said.
The passenger, who was scheduled to fly to Seattle, went out an access door at gate 12 at John Wayne Airport in Orange County around 5:30 p.m. PT, airport spokesperson AnnaSophia Servin told CNN.
The man then stole an Alaska Airlines tug, a type of vehicle used for moving luggage trailers or planes around the airfield, and drove it to gate 7, where he crashed into another vehicle, the airport said.
The Delta passenger then attempted to steal a lavatory service truck belonging to American Airlines before he was arrested by airport police, Servin said.
“There was a security breach at the airport. Looks like someone stole a tug so they pretty much shut down,” an air traffic controller told pilots of planes waiting on the tarmac in audio recorded by the ATC.com app.
Airport crews inspected the man’s route down a taxiway between gates 7 and 12 for any debris or other hazards, and planes quickly resumed moving around the airfield.
“Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful behavior, and we take all incidents seriously,” the airline said in a statement. “Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our customers and people, and we are cooperating fully with law enforcement.”
Jay Barr, 26, was arrested on charges of vehicle theft, trespassing and vandalism, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said. He currently remains in custody and CNN could not locate legal representation for him.
CNN has reached out to Alaska Airlines and American Airlines for more information.
John Wayne Airport, in suburban Los Angeles, serves more than 11 million passengers a year and has flights to 50 destinations.
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