Runway Arrest at Cloquet Airport

CLOQUET, Minn. – A man faces two misdemeanor charges following his arrest on the runway of the Cloquet Carlton County Airport on Sunday.

At 9:50 a.m. on Sunday, Fond du Lac Police responded to the Cloquet Carlton County Airport following multiple calls about a man wandering around private hangers.

When the 911 caller first encountered the man, later identified as 45-year-old Joel Oleary, they “had asked Joel where he was coming from and Joel had not said anything and just stated that he was [wandering],” according to the citation report. The caller also gave Oleary food ” and walked him over to the airport offices to get this male help.” Oleary then reportedly ran away out of the caller’s line of sight towards the runway.

Two pilots told police that Oleary had attempted to enter their plane while they were taxing on the runway. According to the report, Oleary “opened the back compartment of the aircraft and placed his backpack in there.” The pilots said they attempted to guide the plane and its spinning propellers away from Oleary but that he continued to follow them until police arrested him.

Officers said they found Oleary “sitting in the runway,” but that when they approached, he began to walk away. According to the report, Oleary was “disregarding commands to stop” and “was tased and taken into custody.”

Oleary faces two misdemeanor charges for aircraft tampering and obstructing a law enforcement officer.