Police: Canadian passenger removes pants, hijacks luggage tug, drives across OIA tarmac

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Canadian man was arrested Friday after driving a baggage-towing vehicle across the tarmac at Orlando International Airport, authorities said.

Richard Hogh, 27, was kicked off a United Airlines flight to Chicago for sitting in an unassigned seat in first class, claiming to be a pilot.

Investigators said Hogh then got into an elevator designated for airport employees.

An employee asked Hogh to get off the elevator because he wasn’t badged and reported it immediately to security, OIA officials said.

Officials said Hough went to the ground floor, took off his pants and then jumped on the luggage truck.

In a news release, officials said that while on the tarmac, Hogh “approached an occupied luggage tug and when the driver stepped down to challenge him, he got on the tug and drove across a taxiway with airfield operations staff following him leading to the central fire station where airport firefighters subdued him and held him until Orlando Police took him into custody.”

The incident caused a "ground hold" for jetliners in the immediate area but it didn't cause any flight delays.

Hough was charged with grand theft and trespassing.

Cox Media Group