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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 7:45 p.m., Sunday, October 23, 2005

Man drives car into airport baggage claim

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser Staff Writer

A man was arrested today after he drove a car into the interisland baggage claim area of Honolulu International Airport.

The man crashed a 1997 Dodge Neon through glass sliding doors at the Hawaiian Airlines baggage claim area and drove inside before authorities arrested him.

No one was injured in the 4:55 p.m. incident and no passenger arrivals were delayed, but the area where the incident happened was closed for about an hour where the car crashed into the doors, said Scott Ishikawa, state Department of Transportation spokesman.

State sheriffs are holding 26-year-old Michael Abela of Honolulu.

Debbie Long, a Hawaiian Airlines baggage handler, said she heard a loud crash and assumed it was outside. Instead, the next thing she saw was a compact car inside the baggage claim lobby.

"The guy got out and looked around and then got back into his car," Long said. "He drove around the (flight information) kiosk and drove down to the Aloha (Airlines) baggage area.

"It was a little scary. We didn't know what he would do."