Man steals tow vehicle at California airport for joyride on tarmac

A Washington man allegedly turned a Southern California airport into his own personal racetrack, stealing an airplane tug for a joyride across the tarmac, crashing into a vehicle and trying to swipe another airport truck before cops caught up with him.

Skyler Jay Barr, 26, of Everett, Washington, was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, vandalism and trespassing, according to Sgt. Gerard McCann, a spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Video of the bizarre escapade shows Barr careening around the tarmac at John Wayne Airport — at one point coming dangerously close to an Alaska Airlines plane.

The chaos began around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, when Barr, who was reportedly waiting for his flight, allegedly slipped through a restricted door leading outside the airport.

He headed down a flight of stairs and onto the ramp, a restricted area where ground crews move baggage, fuel, food and other supplies to aircraft.

Barr allegedly hopped aboard an airplane tug near Gate 12 and took off toward Gate 7, eventually making his way into the American Airlines area, where he tried to climb into one of the airline’s vehicles.

Along the way, he crashed into another vehicle and allegedly tried to steal a lavatory truck — the specialized vehicle used to service airplane bathrooms.

The wild ride lasted only minutes before it came to an end.

“Probably about 10 minutes to when he was arrested,” Marisa Unvert, communications manager for John Wayne Airport, told the California Post.

The airport ramp is off limits to passengers and reserved for authorized personnel, who use the area to maneuver vehicles and equipment around aircraft.

Barr never managed to get into the American Airlines vehicle before he was taken into custody.

He was transported to a hospital for evaluation and treatment of injuries sustained in the crash before being booked into jail.

It remains unclear whether Barr was intoxicated during the incident.

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