An intoxicated driver turned the tarmac at Daytona Beach International Airport into his own ill-advised shortcut yesterday afternoon, smashing through a secure gate, racing onto the airfield, and trying to get into at least one airplane before being stopped and taken into custody, deputies said. Investigators secured the scene while airport operations continued.
Around 4:23 p.m., the vehicle drove through a gate at the airport's international terminal and onto the airfield, where "the driver, an adult male who was highly intoxicated, approached an occupied, running airplane and attempted to make entry," a Volusia Sheriff’s Office release said. Deputies said he was unable to get into that locked, occupied aircraft and then moved on to two other planes, briefly managing to enter an unoccupied one before being stopped. Authorities have not publicly identified the driver.
Man drives mustang onto the taxiway at KDAB and tries to hijack a Embry-Riddle Aircraft 3/25 — Reddit
How airport staff interrupted the attempt
Airport operations personnel and security from Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University moved in quickly after the man abandoned his vehicle and headed for the planes, according to the sheriff’s office release. Video of the incident circulating online shows the driver running across the ramp toward a small aircraft before staff and university security intervene.
Investigation and charges
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office said its Domestic Security Unit responded to the airfield breach and that the FBI was on scene assisting investigators. Deputies said "multiple charges are pending" in the case. Officials added that the suspect is being interviewed and his identity has not been released while charging decisions are made, according to ClickOrlando.
What flyers should know
Deputies emphasized that airport operations continued without disruption while the investigation unfolded. Travelers were not diverted or grounded as law enforcement processed the scene. The sheriff’s office urged anyone with video or information about the incident to contact investigators and asked witnesses to submit footage or tips through its public channels as detectives piece together a full timeline.
Legal implications
With the county’s Domestic Security Unit and the FBI both involved, the case could cross from local to federal court, though authorities have not specified any formal charges. Prosecutors will determine what charges to file once investigators complete interviews, sort through witness videos and review all the evidence.
