Passenger Arrested After Stolen Airport Tug Crashes Near Gate, Missing Their Flight
A Delta Air Lines passenger who was supposed to be flying to Seattle instead ended his Tuesday evening in police custody after a security breach sent him onto the airfield at California’s John Wayne Airport.
The incident began around 5:30 p.m. on October 6, when the passenger went through an access door at Gate 12 and entered a restricted section of the airport, according to John Wayne Airport officials.
What followed was far from a routine wrong turn. The passenger took an Alaska Airlines tug — one of the small utility vehicles used around aircraft and baggage operations — and drove it across the airfield toward Gate 7.
The ride ended with the tug crashing into another vehicle. Even then, the incident was not over.
Another Set Of Keys
After the crash, the passenger tried to take an American Airlines lavatory service truck, according to airport officials.
Airport Police Services caught up with him before he could drive away in the second vehicle and took him into custody.
Video obtained by KTLA shows the stolen tug moving across the ramp as aircraft sat nearby. At one point, an airport worker can be seen approaching while the tug maneuvers through the restricted area.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department provides law-enforcement services at John Wayne Airport through its Airport Police Services Bureau, which is responsible for policing and security on airport property.
CNN identified the passenger as 26-year-old Jay Barr and reported that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said he was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, trespassing, and vandalism.
KTLA separately identified him as Skyler Barr. Guessing Headlights was unable to independently resolve the conflicting first names through an authoritative public booking record.
An arrest and criminal accusations are not findings of guilt.
Flights Hold
The breach quickly caught the attention of pilots waiting nearby.
Air traffic control recordings captured one pilot asking what was happening after seeing numerous law-enforcement vehicles behind the aircraft.
A controller responded that someone had stolen a tug and described a security breach.
Although the controller referred to a ground stop, ABC7 reported that airport officials said no formal ground stop was issued.
Flights were briefly held while the incident played out, and the area around Gate 7 was closed for approximately 10 minutes.
Crews also checked the route between Gates 12 and 7 for debris or other hazards before aircraft movement resumed, according to CNN.
A Short Detour
The passenger had originally been scheduled to travel aboard a Delta flight from Orange County to Seattle.
Instead, Airport Police Services arrested him roughly 10 minutes after the breach began.
He was subsequently taken to a local hospital for evaluation following the collision. Officials had not established whether drugs or alcohol played a role.
Delta told CNN that the airline has “zero tolerance for unlawful behavior” and was cooperating with police.
Despite the activity on the ramp and the temporary pause in aircraft movements, airport officials said the incident did not cause a broader disruption to John Wayne Airport operations.
CNN reported Wednesday that Barr remained in custody.
