Man Drives on Taxiway at Iowa Airport

[Eamon]

DES MOINES, Iowa - Air traffic at Des Moines International Airport was temporarily halted when a disoriented 70-year-old man drove in through an exit gate and led security on a chase onto an active taxiway.



Duane Edwards Sheets drove through an open gate at the adjacent Iowa Air National Guard base Tuesday, nearly striking a guard who tried to stop him, said Col. Greg Schwab, commander of the 132nd Air Fighter Wing.


Airport security and police took over the chase after Sheets crossed onto airport property, where he drove along service roads, hit a fence and was chased onto an active taxiway, officials said.


"They kept him off the main runway, but he was on the taxiway. That was probably the most dangerous part of it," Des Moines Police Capt. Richard Singleton said.


No planes were allowed to take off or land for about 15 minutes, airport spokesman Roy Criss said.


Sheets told authorities he was looking for a friend, whom police said may have been dead for several years.


Sheets faces state charges of criminal trespassing, aggravated assault and resisting officers. Federal authorities also planned to file charges, Singleton said.


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[sierra]

gads i miss Iowa.

ONe of the little airports i used to fly out of (with the serated bladed props... good for cutting up the deer after you hit it, i guess) always had interesting things happen at, on, or near the vicinity of the runway.

Little prize birdies escaping from the farm next door (not the eating kind).

deer. anytime of day.

Helicopters. worse than the deer. belonged to the airport owners.

Race cars on a really bad weather day. zooooom.

and Lions. But they stayed in their cages most of the time. The Mama lion liked to fly with one of the owners.