View more videos at: http://nbcsandiego.com.
SAN DIEGO — A young recruit bolted from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and ran across a runway at next door Lindbergh Field early Thursday before being arrested by Harbor Police, authorities said.
“It’s happened before,” said Harbor Police Sgt. Brad Hizer.
The Marine suffered multiple lacerations and his uniform pants were snagged off him by the razor wire topping the airport security fence, Hizer said.
An airport control tower worker reported about 6:20 a.m. that a man was running across a runway toward Gate 6 and got into a janitor’s van to hide, San Diego International Airport spokeswoman Diana Lucero said.
She said it appeared the man came from the direction of the Marine recruit depot, which abuts the west end of the airport off North Harbor Drive. Harbor police got the man into custody by 6:27 a.m., Lucero said.
“No airport operations were impacted whatsoever,” Lucero said. “This happens maybe once every other year.”
Hizer said his officers turned the recruit over to military police and he likely would be treated for his cuts at a hospital.
Officials at the recruit depot issued a statement staying the recruit reported for duty on Monday and was going through initial processing. He had not begun recruit training.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.utsandiego.com
A U.S. Marine recruit faces felony and misdemeanor chargers for jumping over two barbed-wire fences and running on the tarmac of San Diego’s airport.
San Diego harbor police got word from the Lindbergh Tower that a man had run on the tarmac by Gate 6 in Terminal 1 at 6:20 a.m. Thursday.
He attempted to hide in a service vehicle that belongs to the janitorial department.
"He had quite a few cuts on him and at the time that we found him he had actually taken his pants off so he was in his boxer shorts and his Marine Corps T-shirt," said Harbor Police Lt John Forsythe.
In aerials from NBC 7 San Diego news helicopter, the white van could be seen parked in front of a Southwest airliner connected to the gate. The vehicle was surrounded by airport maintenance vehicles.
Military police were called because the suspect was a 22-year-old Marine recruit from the nearby Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The unidentified man arrived to the training center from San Rafael Jan. 14 officials said.
"Everything we said to him it was: 'Yes sir! Yes sir! 'That was all he pretty much said to us," Forsythe said. "It took us a while to get his name and everything else like that."
Flights were not affected according to airport officials.
The incident posed no threat to passengers or the public officials said.
But the breach of security was on a topic of conversation for many passengers inside the terminal.
"What are you running out there for?! What is calling you to the actual runway to make you want to go out there? And it's terrifying just knowing somebody would want to do that," said air traveler Mo Owens.
"I think that probably the security at the airport is very good," passenger Tom Solari said. "I feel comfortable. I'm not worried at all."
The suspect was transported to the Naval Medical Center San Diego in Balboa Park via ambulance with a military police vehicle following close behind.
The unidentified recruit reported to MCRD just three days ago and was in the initial processing phase. He had not begun recruit training military officials said.
Story and Video: http://www.nbcsandiego.com
No comments:
Post a Comment