Chesco Man Pleads Guilty in PHL Airport Gate-Crashing Incident
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As expected, a 24-year-old Chadds Ford, Pa. man has pleaded guilty to using his SUV to disrupt and endanger airport operations back on March 1st (see previous stories).
Today, Kenneth Mazik went through the plea process, admitting to a crime that could get him up to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutor Albert Glenn notes that Mazik crashed his Jeep Cherokee through a locked airport gate.
"He drove down that entire runway, which was about 10,000 feet long, drove toward the end of the whole runway complex there, and then drove back another long runway."
That's where he was arrested.
The question of why this happened was not answered conclusively. The drug Adderall got some mention, but Mazik's attorney Kerry Kalmbach says, "He really has a difficult time believing he'd do something that stupid."
In addition to a long prison term, Mazik faces more than $91,000 in restitution and the potential that TSA could sue him civilly, seeking a fine or travel restrictions. Sentencing is scheduled for October.
