Florida Man Crashes Ford Mustang Through Airport Fence, Nearly Hits A Taxiing Plane, Then Tries Entering It
A Floridian Ford Mustang driver found a new and exciting place to crash yesterday: Through the locked perimeter gate at Daytona Beach International Airport. The 58-year-old driver who, according to a Facebook post from the Volusia Sheriff's Office, was highly intoxicated, drove through the airport gate, nearly struck a taxiing plane on the secondary runway, then got out of his Mustang and tried to enter the occupied plane. The man was identified as Brian J. Parker from Holly Hill, Florida, a small area that's just a few miles from Daytona Beach International Airport.
After his first unsuccessful attempt at entering a plane, Parker then ran to another aircraft in the area and tried to enter it, too, but an airport operations technician chased him down. The technician pulled Parker out of the second plane and sat him on the tailgate of his work truck. Parker then managed to jump off the tailgate and run toward another plane in the area before he was ultimately apprehended once more and placed in handcuffs.
He doesn't even remember what led to the incident
Parker's episode didn't so much impede normal airport activities – likely a relief to travelers, as last year was the Daytona Beach International Airport's busiest year since 1997 — but there was a short 25-minute delay according to passengers. In a statement, DAB said Parker drove onto the secondary runway, not the main runway, and he was ultimately apprehended by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's security team, an aerospace and STEM college which is located on the airport property.
According to NBC News, the man was battling drug and alcohol addiction leading up to the event; "Parker told the deputies that he had been at home before attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. He also admitted to drinking alcohol and using drugs prior to the incident." He also indicated that he didn't remember what led to the incident. NBC said he was "booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on charges of attempted aircraft piracy, burglary of a conveyance, felony trespass, indecent exposure, criminal mischief, DUI with damage, and refusal to submit to DUI testing."