Delta passenger stole airport tugboat and drove around California airport tarmac before crashing, official says

A Delta Air Lines passenger walked out the gate of a Southern California airport terminal Tuesday evening, stole a vehicle from the tarmac, crashed it, then tried to commandeer an airline truck before being arrested, an airport official said.

The passenger, who was scheduled to fly to Seattle, walked through the gate at Gate 12 of John Wayne Airport in Orange County around 5:30 p.m. PT, airport spokeswoman AnnaSophia Servin told CNN.

The man then stole a tugboat, a type of vehicle used to move baggage trailers or planes around the airfield, and drove it to Gate 7, where he crashed into another vehicle, the airport said.

The Delta passenger then attempted to steal a restroom service truck owned by American Airlines before being arrested by airport police, Servin said.

“There was a security breach at the airport. It looks like someone stole a tugboat, so they basically shut down,” an air traffic controller told plane pilots waiting on the tarmac in an audio recording recorded by the ATC.com app.

Airport crews inspected the man’s path on a taxiway between Gates 7 and 12 for debris or other hazards, and planes quickly resumed movement around the airfield.

“Delta has zero tolerance for illegal behavior and we take all incidents seriously,” the airline said in a statement. “Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our customers and people, and we are cooperating fully with law enforcement.”

Jay Barr, 26, was arrested for vehicle theft, trespassing and vandalism, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said. He is currently in custody and CNN has been unable to find legal representation for him.

CNN has contacted American Airlines for more information.

John Wayne Airport, located in the suburbs of Los Angeles, welcomes more than 11 million passengers per year and offers flights to 50 destinations.