- Hundreds of lives were put in danger, commercial air
traffic was disrupted and fears of a terror attack had law enforcement
scrambling Thursday night.
-
- All because, police say, a Pottstown man decided to go
on a drunken joy ride in his airplane. Police arrested 44-year old John
Salamone when he landed last night after a four-hour wild goose chase through
restricted air space.
-
- We tried to reach him at his home in North Coventry today,
but were told no one was home, although there were signs of activity.
-
- Police say it started around 6:30 last night when Salamone
climbed into his single engine Piper Cherokee and took off from Limerick-Pottstown
airport.
-
- They say he flew over Philadelphia International Airport
as commercial jetliners were diverted. He then flew to Atlantic City and
Ocean City and back to Cross Keys airport where he twice tried and failed
to land.
-
- He then flew back to Philadelphia International where
a corporate jet on final approach had to take evasive action. A Philadelphia
police helicopter then tried to escort him to Northeast Airport.
-
- But he flew back to Montgomery County where he again
tried to land but couldn't find the runway. He then headed toward the Limerick
nuclear power plant and the chopper cut him off, nearly colliding.
-
- They convinced him to return to the local airport where
he made a bumpy landing. That's where local police finally grabbed him.
-
- Salamone faces hefty fines and the loss of his pilot's
license. Officials are also considering criminal charges.
-
- Copyright 2004 by Action News. All Rights Reserved.
-
- http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/011604_nw_pilotarrest.html
|
