Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - A Depew man is facing multiple criminal charges following an intentional breach of the secured perimeter gate at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Tuesday.
Officials with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) says at approximately 7:30 a.m., 45-year-old James Muench deliberately drove a GMC Sierra pickup truck into the airport’s perimeter Gate 1, striking it three times before gaining unauthorized access to the airfield. The vehicle proceeded across an active taxiway and runway onto an inactive runway.
NFTA Transit Police responded immediately and located the suspect near a training plane towards the middle of the runway.
Muench was taken into custody in under 10 minutes without any further resistance, preventing any injuries and ensuring that airport operations
continued without disruption.
Muench has been charged with the following offenses:
- Reckless Endangerment
- Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree
- Reckless Driving
- Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device
- Criminal Trespass
- Criminal Tampering in the Second Degree
- Obstruction of Governmental Administration
"This was a serious incident that could have resulted in significant harm," said Brian Patterson, Chief of NFTA Transit Police. "Thanks to the rapid and coordinated response by our officers and operations personnel, the situation was contained quickly and safely. We are extremely proud of their professionalism and commitment to protecting the traveling public."
Muench was arraigned Tuesday in the Town of Cheektowaga Court. The investigation remains ongoing.
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