Man charged with scaling fence at Midway Airport, climbing onto private plane trying to take off
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 33-year-old man has been charged with hopping a fence at Midway International Airport on Tuesday and climbing onto a private jet as it was preparing to take off.
Javier Martinez has been charged with one felony count of trespassing at an airport, according to Chicago Police.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported, around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, Martinez managed to scale the barbed-wire fence that blocks off Midway Airport along the south side of 55th Street. The fence is about 10 to 12 feet high.
Martinez then got onto the tarmac, and tried to stop a plane from taking off, but then, he took off his clothes. Police said it looked like he left his shirt, shoes, and even pants behind.
"This guy is stripping butt-naked right now," a pilot was heard saying over the air traffic control scanner.
The man had no shirt or shoes on, and his jacket was left blowing in the wind on the barbed wire fence. Police said the man appeared to be intoxicated as he started walking toward that small private jet.
On the air traffic control scanner, you can hear the pilot – who had just been cleared for takeoff – react as the suspect tried climbing onto the wing of the plane.
"He's right here at the front of the jet. He's trying to get in," the pilot is heard saying. "Our door is open here."
Later, the pilot said police had the suspect on the ground and he was "giving them a fit."
The plane was eventually allowed to take off.
Video from Chopper 2 showed police, Fire Department crews, and at least one K-9 unit at the scene, searching the perimeter.
Chicago Police said Martinez was quickly apprehended. He was taken to Loyola Medicine MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn for a mental evaluation.
No other flight operations were interrupted at Midway during the incident.
Martinez was still in the hospital on Thursday, and did not appear in court for his bond hearing, where a judge set his bail at $250,000 and ordered him placed on electronic monitoring if he is released from custody. She also ordered him to stay away from Midway.
He is due back in court on April 8.
