A security guard witnessed a security breach at the Jacksonville airport

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man arrested over the weekend at Jacksonville International Airport told police he planned to steal a plane Sunday morning, according to police reports.

The report says 25-year-old Derrick Barton II told police he was using drugs. Police say he caused a security breach by trying to steal Jacksonville Aviation Authority vehicles and crashing into a fence.

A private security guard at JIA who wished to remain anonymous described his disbelief at what police say happened Sunday morning on Cole Flyer Road. For the security guard, the incident began with seeing a vehicle speeding towards him.

“Still, it was scary because it was probably 30 meters away and you didn’t know if that car was going to keep hitting you or what,” the security guard said.

Police say Barton crashed a JAA vehicle through a fence, then ran into a maintenance warehouse and tried to steal three more vehicles before he was arrested with cocaine. The security guard said he saw Barton crash through one fence, turn a corner and crash into another.

“My feeling about the whole situation was, ‘No way, I just didn’t witness it,'” the security guard said.

A police report showed $40,000 in damage to the fence and the incident resulted in a security breach.

“It’s like, wow, was that for real?” said the security guard. “At first you think, ‘Oh, maybe it was an accident, maybe someone was just, you know, having trouble accelerating.’ But when you see the second part, you think, “Oh, wow, hey, something serious is going on here.”

The incident report shows that Barton told police he had previously taken cocaine and did not explain his behavior, claiming he did not know why he was at the airport. The report states that the firefighter asked him what he was going to do and he replied, “I’ll probably take a plane.”

“He put himself and others in danger,” he said First news from the coast Crime and security expert Ken Jefferson.

Police say Barton was first reported as a suspicious person at the airport’s daily garage rental car drop-off point. Jefferson said to report suspicious activity.

“If your gut tells you this person is acting suspiciously, just contact law enforcement,” he said. “It’s not hard to find them at the airport.”

The security guard agreed.

“When you see something, you know the old saying, say something,” he said.

Barton now faces eight felony charges.

A JAX spokesman was dispatched First news from the coast the following statement:

“We are grateful to the airport employee who informed the police about a suspicious person in the parking lot, and also to our officers for their professional response and avoiding serious incidents.

At Jacksonville International Airport, safety and security are our number one priority. We encourage travelers and employees who notice suspicious behavior at the airport to notify the appropriate services. If you see something suspicious, say something.”