Man Charged With Trying To Halt Departing Plane

August 19, 2015

A man who arrived late for a flight to attend his high school reunion is accused of running onto a concourse at Denver Airport in an attempt to stop the departing plane, prosecutors said.

Marc Rehmar, 58, is charged with one count of endangering public transportation and one count of hindering transportation, Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver District Attorney's Office, said in a statement.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by police, on August 6 Rehmar found his Ohio-bound United Airlines flight pushing back from a departing gate.

He then "forcibly" opened a locked emergency exit door, triggering an alarm, and allegedly ran onto a secured ramp area.

"Rehmar did then run out of the door into a sterile area of the airport and chased down on foot, a tug and tug driver who was actively engaged in pushing back... (an) aircraft filled with passengers," the affidavit said.

The tug driver was forced to stop, and Rehmar then allegedly insisted on boarding the plane. He was then arrested, police said.

Airport spokesman Heath Montgomery said the incident did not substantially delay the flight or airport operations.

Kimbrough said Rehmar told police he was en route to Ohio to attend his 40-year high school reunion.

(Reuters)