Driver crashes through airport gate, goes on joyride around tarmac, Florida cops say

A motorist intentionally crashed through a gate at Orlando International Airport and began driving around the tarmac, according to investigators in Florida.

The driver was captured after coming to a stop around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, June 12, Orlando police said in a news release.

Investigators did not report any aircraft were jeopardized.

“Officers were dispatched to Terminal C in reference to a vehicle crashing through a perimeter gate. The vehicle breached the Air Operations Area and drove to a Transfer Gate,” police said in the release. “The driver/suspect left the vehicle and was apprehended.”

The 37-year-old man “was tackled near gate 234 and detained by an airport employee” for police, WKMG reported. The car drove on several runways and taxiways and caused $3,000 in damage, the station said.

A motive for the intrusion has not been released.

The driver, who lives in Tampa, is charged with burglary, trespassing on an airport operations area, and criminal mischief.