PORTLAND, Maine — Officers with the Portland and South Portland police departments are working with the Portland International Jetport and federal partners at the Transportation Security Administration to investigate a crash that happened on Sunday.
Lieutenant Robert Doherty with the Portland Police Department said members of the jetport's maintenance crew discovered a car abandoned on the runway in the morning. As a result, the airfield was closed for about 40 minutes, although Doherty said no flights were impacted.
Assistant Airport Director Zachary Sundquist told NEWS CENTER Maine jetport operations personnel discovered the unoccupied vehicle inside the fence during a routine inspection of the airfield.
The vehicle had reportedly crashed through fire gate three, drove throughout the runway area causing damage to the grass, and then struck the fence around the pond, Portland Police Department spokesperson Brad Nadeau told NEWS CENTER Maine.
"Contact was made with the registered owner, 33-year-old George Gillmore III, who was staying at Embassy Suites," Nadeau said. "Gillmore refused to answer questions and he was summoned for criminal trespass, leaving the scene of an accident, driving to endanger, and aggravated criminal mischief. Federal charges and fines could follow as well."
Although a police K9 was called for a track, contact was made with Gillmore before they arrived, Nadeau said.
Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 207-874-8575.