Man Arrested After Running Onto ORD Tarmac

Nov. 18, 2013
Chase continued near taxiing American Airlines flight when police again at gunpoint directed suspect to stop and show his hands.

Nov. 17--Authorities are trying to figure out why a West Side man ran onto the tarmac at O'Hare Airport Saturday afternoon prompting a police chase and felony charges, police said.

It was about 3 p.m. when an air operations staffer spotted 23-year-old Ardell Walker walking on runway 14R with his right hand in his pocket and called police. A responding Chicago Police sergeant ordered Walker to stop and show his hands but Walker ran away so the sergeant began a foot pursuit while air operations personnel gave chase in vehicles, police said.

The chase continued to where an American Airlines flight was taxiing when police again -- at gunpoint -- directed Walker to stop and show his hands, police said.

Walker did not and the sergeant, seeing the approaching plane, holstered his gun and wrestled Walker to the ground and took him into custody. Walker, who suffered a gash on his leg during the incident, was taken to a nearby hospital and the sergeant, who suffered cuts on his hands, was treated at the police station by Chicago Fire Department paramedics, police said.

Walker, of the 5200 block of West Van Buren Street, was charged with felony criminal trespass to an airport's restricted area and misdemeanor resisting a peace officer, police said.

Walker is expected to appear in court at midday on the charges.

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