After a magical week at Disneyland (which was a rare and much-needed break for me), I’m gearing up for a one-week course in Chicago. But my travels got me thinking about airports and the strange things that can happen when people get behind the wheel in places where they really shouldn’t—like on airport runways. This week’s Weird and Wacky is all about women who somehow ended up driving on runways. Coincidence? Or maybe too many cocktails on the plane? Let’s dive into these three runway-driving escapades.
Drunk Driving on the Tulsa Runway
Imagine landing your plane and finding a car blocking your path. That’s what happened at Jones Riverside Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A woman, clearly having had way too much to drink, took her Nissan for a spin on the airport taxiways—not once, but twice in two days. The second time, police were able to catch her, but not before a pilot had to step in, turn off her car, and confiscate her keys. That poor pilot must have been thinking, “This is not in my job description!” When police arrived, they found 18 empty beer cans in the SUV and a woman who could barely stand. Her breathalyzer test? A shocking 0.34—more than four times the legal limit! She was visiting family at the airport, but instead of a smooth landing, she ended up on a very bumpy ride to jail for aggravated DUI.
Minivan Mayhem in St. Louis
Our next story takes us to the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, where 54-year-old Kathleen Klingerman turned a routine trip into chaos. Driving her minivan, she somehow ended up on the runway, and things went downhill fast. When police tried to stop her, she threatened to kill the responding officer, ignored commands, and rammed a police cruiser. All this while driving through restricted areas where planes take off and land! It took a whole team to box her in and arrest her, but not before she added charges like trespassing, property damage, and resisting arrest to her day’s adventures. Whatever possessed her to treat the runway like a racetrack is anyone’s guess, but this joyride didn’t end well for her—or the police cruiser!
DUI and a Security Breach in Virginia
Finally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, Christina Jewell took airport driving to the extreme when she crashed through a security fence at Charlottesville Albemarle Airport and sped onto the runway. It was 1 a.m. when her car broke through the chain-link fence, and it didn’t take long for authorities to charge her with DUI and reckless driving. The TSA plans to investigate the incident, but the airport’s spokesman noted that no fence is designed to withstand a car moving at high speed. Whether Jewell was trying to make a speedy getaway or was simply lost in a drunken haze, this incident was definitely a security breach the airport didn’t anticipate. It’s safe to say the runway isn’t exactly where you want to find a car at 1 a.m.!
Three women, three runaway runway incidents. Is it a coincidence, or should we start keeping an eye on in-flight cocktail service? Whether it’s an intentional joyride or a drunken mistake, driving on a runway is never a good idea. This week’s stories show just how wild things can get when cars and runways mix. Here’s hoping your next trip through the airport is not so eventful!
