Video shows delivery driver in restricted area at O'Hare International Airport
The Chicago Department of Aviation said that there were no disruptions to operations at O'Hare, and that the area was swept by Chicago police. But the department did not address how the driver was able to get onto the tarmac.
Video shows the moment police and airport security caught up with a food delivery driver on the tarmac at O'Hare near United Airlines Gate C16 around noon Saturday.
The unauthorized red car evaded security and somehow ended up next to a plane.
"A lot of very bad things can happen," said Ben Coleman, a former Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector and investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. "Once they get in there, they really don't know what to do."
Coleman said there are supposed to be safeguards to prevent such an incident.
"It's not supposed to happen, and that's the reason we have security posts, security guards," Coleman said, "and we have a myriad of different things that are supposed to stop that from happening."
Police said the 36-year-old man accidentally drove past a gate into a restricted area. Police audio suggests it took 16 minutes from the time cameras caught the car entering O'Hare to United Airlines calling police.
Lincoln Security Services is contracted to secure several access points at O'Hare. Jim Pitts, the company's chief operating officer, released the following statement:
"We are aware of the reported incident and are actively investigating in coordination with airport authorities. While the facts are still under review, we would caution against drawing conclusions based on incomplete or secondhand information.
"Lincoln Security Services is one component of the airport's multi-layered security system, designed to protect the integrity of O'Hare's operations. With tens of thousands of vehicles, employees, and support vendors moving through the airport daily, our team is trained and equipped to monitor for anomalies and respond swiftly. In this case, the situation was identified and mitigated within minutes — demonstrating the value of multi-layered safeguards and prompt coordination.
"Lincoln maintains a strong safety record at O'Hare International Airport, supported by rigorous quality assurance protocols and extensive officer training on access control, perimeter security standards, and multi-agency response protocols.
"The safety and security of the airport community is our highest priority. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and will quickly share additional information, if appropriate, once the investigation is complete and in alignment with CDA communication protocols."
Meanwhile, Coleman said incidents like the one last weekend are less out-of-the-ordinary than they seem.
Surveillance video from February shows the moment a motorist drove a car onto the tarmac at the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky.
In November 2020, a pursuit played out on the taxiway at the Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles after a driver busted through a fence. In June 2021, also in Los Angeles, a car crashed through a gate and crossed two runways at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
The Chicago Department of Aviation released this statement regarding the incident at O'Hare this past weekend:
"The safety and security of the traveling public, airport workers, and airport facilities remain the top priorities of the CDA. Over the weekend, an individual unaffiliated with airport operations was located in a secured area at O'Hare International Airport. The incident is under investigation by the CDA in partnership with the Chicago Police Department. There were no operational disruptions or safety incidents reported, and the area was promptly swept by CPD and Aviation Security personnel out of an abundance of caution. Questions regarding charges or law enforcement actions should be directed to the Chicago Police Department. The CDA is taking this matter seriously and will use the findings of the investigation to inform any necessary follow-up or corrective measures."
DoorDash said the incident Saturday appeared to be simply a case of a driver getting lost.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Student killed in stabbing at high school after fight escalates: Police
A student was killed in a stabbing at a Phoenix high school on Tuesday in what school officials called a "senseless tragedy." The incident occurred at Maryvale High School, officials said. Officers responded to the school around 11 a.m. to a call for a stabbing, Phoenix police said. Phoenix Commander David Saflar said the incident "started off with a fight between two students, and escalated." MORE: Search on for suspect who stabbed ranger in state park near Denver: Police School staff notified the on-campus school safety officer, who detained one of the people involved, according to Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano. Two students were transported to an area hospital, including one with life-threatening injuries, police said. A male student has since died, officials said. "What happened today at Maryvale is truly a tragedy," Saflar said at a press briefing Tuesday. No additional suspects are being sought, he said. The Phoenix Police Department is investigating the incident. No further details are being released at this time, said police, who have not provided any details on the weapon used in the stabbing or the students involved. Authorities urged anyone with information, including any cellphone footage, to reach out to police. Phoenix Union High School District Superintendent Thea Andrade said the district is cooperating fully with the investigation. "Maryvale is a beautiful, resilient community and I am shocked and deeply saddened by what took place here today," Andrade said at the press briefing, calling the incident a "senseless tragedy." The school will be on a modified schedule on Wednesday to provide "extensive emotional support and counseling to our students and to our staff," Andrade said. MORE: Texas teen indicted for murder in fatal stabbing of another student at track meet Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego thanked the first responders and police and said more information will be released as it becomes available. "Tomorrow, it will be a hard moment to drop a kid off at school, and so to the parents out there, know that we are working as hard as we can to make sure that schools are as safe as possible," Gallego said at the briefing. Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne called the deadly stabbing a "terrible tragedy." "Schools must be safe places," Horne said in a statement. "This terrible incident reinforces my commitment to doing everything possible to make schools safe.'
CNN
22 minutes ago
- CNN
Former Miami Heat security officer pleads guilty to stealing and selling millions of dollars' worth of team memorabilia
Basketball PolicingFacebookTweetLink Follow A former Miami Heat security officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to transporting and transferring millions of dollars' worth of team memorabilia, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Marcos Tomas Perez, 62, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty at a hearing Tuesday, according to the US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida, admitting to the facts of the case. 'He's depressed, naturally, but he accepts responsibility for his behavior and we're gonna work through this issue in his life,' his attorney Robert Buschel said after the hearing, according to NBC Miami, which Buschel later confirmed to CNN. Perez worked with the NBA team for five years from 2016 to 2021 and later with the league from 2022 to 2025. During his time with Miami, Perez was a part of the security detail team on game days at the now-named Kaseya Center, home of the Heat, court documents state. Perez accessed a secured equipment room that housed valuable memorabilia multiple times, stealing more than 400 game-worn jerseys and other items that were intended for a future Heat museum. Perez later sold the items to online brokers, according to court documents. Perez sold more than 100 of the stolen items, worth approximately $1.9 million and shipped them across state lines, often below fair market value. He sold a LeBron James NBA Finals jersey for nearly $100,000, which was later sold for $3.7 million at a Sotheby's auction, according to the court documents. In April, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Perez's residence and recovered close to 300 more game-worn jerseys and memorabilia, according to prosecutors. The Heat confirmed the items were taken from the arena. Perez, who is a retired 25-year officer for the City of Miami Police Department, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 31. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000. 'I hope that the judge will consider all factors in his life and his history as a good person, he was an exemplary police officer in the City of Miami, he's been retired for close to 10 years,' Buschel added, according to NBC Miami. 'This was an unfortunate set of decisions that he made and he's going to accept responsibility for that.' The Heat declined to comment.
CBS News
23 minutes ago
- CBS News
Winters man gets 30 days in prison for sexually assaulting woman on flight from Seattle to Sacramento
A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a Northern California man to 30 days in prison for sexually assaulting a woman last year on a flight from Seattle to Sacramento, prosecutors announced. Jeff Lorenzo, 40, sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman who sat between him and a co-worker of his on an August 9, 2024, flight, the U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of California said. Prosecutors said Lorenzo repeatedly touched the woman without her consent, grazing her leg with his hand, pressing his arm into her breast and, at one point, putting his head near her crotch under the pretense of retrieving his dropped phone. Lorenzo's inappropriate behavior allegedly was not isolated to this incident. His co-workers told authorities that he had a history of harassment and acting inappropriately toward women. Lorenzo is from the Yolo County town of Winters, located about 30 miles from the city of Sacramento.
