November
8, 2003
Officials
Praise Security After Airport Chase
The Arizona Republic
PHOENIX - Airport security systems "worked
very well" during Thursday night's police chase on a Sky Harbor International Airport runway, airport officials said Friday. Two young men were
arrested after crashing a stolen car through a chain-link fence and leading Phoenix police and Maricopa County sheriff's deputies on a wild ride that ended with
police cars ramming a deputy's stolen patrol vehicle.
"They didn't get that far," Sky Harbor spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer
said. "The things we've trained for and planned for were deployed exactly
as they were supposed to. These folks were apprehended swiftly and prevented
from doing any further damage or causing any threat at all to passengers and
aircraft."
Nonetheless, airport authorities said they are evaluating whether chain-link
fencing is adequate protection of the airport's perimeter. According to the
sheriff's office, the incident began at 10:40 p.m. Thursday, when sheriff's
deputies tried to stop a stolen car in Guadalupe. They chased the Dodge Neon
onto Interstate 10, but when the car turned into Sky Harbor Airport, the deputies "terminated" the pursuit, and a Phoenix police helicopter
picked up surveillance, according to sheriff's Sgt. Paul Chagolla.
The Neon circled Terminal 3 then drove up a parking ramp and crashed through a
chain-link fence onto the airfield on the north side of the airport. By this
time, the sheriff's patrol car was joined by several Phoenix police cars, which
chased the Neon out on a runway. The Neon then tried to crash through another
fence and became stuck. The driver fled on foot but was chased down by the
sheriff's deputy.
While the deputy was out of the car, the passenger in the Neon started the
sheriff's empty patrol car and took off in the other direction. Phoenix police cars chased it and stopped the car by ramming it.
The driver of the stolen Neon was identified as Frank Alex Reyes, 18, of
Guadalupe. He was arrested on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle,
unlawful flight, reckless endangerment, restricted area violation and felony
criminal damage. The 16-year-old passenger was arrested on charges of
possession of a stolen car and felony criminal damage.
Airport officials quickly closed the affected runways. No planes or passengers
were ever in danger. But the incident raised questions about airport security.
Suzanne Luber, regional spokesperson for Transportation Security
Administration, the federal agency responsible for airport security, said a
chain-link fence is the only security measure required of an airport's
perimeter. It was inspected less than three months ago, she said.
