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Police: Homeless Man Carries Bag Onto TIA Runway

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 18, 2008

TAMPA - A homeless man apparently crawled over or under a security fence at Tampa International Airport and carried a suitcase onto a runway Saturday night before an airline pilot spotted him and airport police arrested him, authorities said.

The Tampa Police Department Bomb Squad was called to check out the man's bag, and it was found to contain clothes and food, a Tampa police spokeswoman said.

The east parallel runway was closed for more than four hours after the incident was reported at 7:48 p.m.

Tod Redman Stewart, 33, faces trespassing charges, an airport police report stated. Stewart is not an airport employee, officials said.

A Southwest Airlines pilot notified the control tower of a man on the runway, and airport police responded,

They called the Tampa police bomb squad, per airport protocol, when windy conditions made it difficult for airport canine units to determine whether the bag contained explosive devices, airport police chief Paul Sireci said.

"He was troubled and very difficult to interview," Sireci said of Stewart.

Police are trying to determine how Stewart got onto airport property. Sireci said scrapes on his body indicated he might have crawled over or under a fence.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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