Passenger Breaches John Wayne Airport Gate, Temporarily Steals Tow Vehicle

A passenger scheduled to fly from John Wayne Airport to Seattle breached a terminal gate Tuesday evening, Oct. 6, stole a vehicle used to tow jets and crashed it before attempting to steal another airport vehicle, authorities said.

The 26-year-old from Everett, Washington at around 5:30 p.m. got onto the airfield, John Wayne Airport spokesperson AnnaSophia Servin said.

He stole an Alaska Airlines vehicle that tows jets, called a tug, and crashed it into another vehicle near Gate 7, Servin said.

He then attempted to steal an American Airlines lavatory truck before he was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on suspicion of vehicle theft, vandalism and trespassing, Orange County sheriff’s Sgt. Gerard McCann said.