A routine airport pickup for one Honolulu family turned into a nightmare Wednesday evening when a man slipped behind the wheel of their parked car outside Daniel K. Inouye International Airport’s Terminal 1, taking off with a teenage relative still inside. The girl was dropped off unharmed a short distance away, and military and state officers later detained a suspect at the Hickam gate. The Ching family says the ordeal has left them rattled and far more wary about how they handle curbside pickups.
Lawrence and Rose Ching said they were just feet from their vehicle, loading luggage near emergency column 15 outside Terminal 1’s baggage claim, when the driver’s side door suddenly opened and a stranger climbed in, according to Hawaii News Now. As the car pulled away with their teenage relative still inside, Rose feared for her daughter’s life. The family is now pleading for anyone who may have recorded the chaos on their phone to share the footage with police or the state Department of Law Enforcement.
The state Department of Law Enforcement identified the suspect as 25-year-old Garrett Spencer and said he faces possible charges that include first-degree theft, first-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and kidnapping, per Hawaii News Now. “I see someone just jump into my car,” Lawrence Ching recalled to the station, describing the split-second moment everything changed. Investigators said Spencer steered through the crowded curbside area, released the girl a short distance away, then headed toward the H-1 freeway.
How the chase ended
Officials said Spencer drove off via Ala Auana Street and Ala Onaona toward the H-1, then took the exit to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. There, Department of Defense police and U.S. Air Force security forces stopped him at the main gate. Military police cited him for criminal trespass at the Hickam gate, and state sheriff’s deputies arrested him without incident, according to the state. Authorities have not indicated any prior connection between Spencer and the Ching family.
Family warns travelers
The Chings say the scare has completely changed how they think about quick curbside runs and baggage loading. They urged travelers to shut off their engines, pocket their keys and lock their doors, even if they are only steps away loading bags. “It’s a lesson, turn off your car, put the keys in your pocket and lock it,” Lawrence Ching said. The family is grateful the teenager was not physically hurt and is still hoping more video surfaces to help investigators piece together the incident.
Legal note
Spencer currently faces serious felony allegations and will move through the state court system, where prosecutors will decide which charges to formally file and when. Anyone with video or other information about the case is asked to contact the Department of Law Enforcement or state sheriff’s deputies, according to the Department of Law Enforcement's news page. The department’s site also provides general information about its role and responsibilities.
