Stowaway arrested after hiding in plane’s wheel on flight to Miami

A man who has been caught multiple times trying to hide himself inside airplane compartments was caught in the act once again when he snuck into a plane’s wheels to catch a free flight from Houston to Miami.

Jehffrey Gutirres, 26, was arrested last Friday and charged with trespassing for sneaking into a compartment of an American Airlines flight at the Bush Intercontinental Airport. according to a report.

The compartment contained critical steering and hydraulic components that police said put the lives of 166 passengers in “grave danger.”

Officials said Gutirres tried the dangerous stunt in an attempt to escape prosecution, as he faced trespassing charges in Texas for a January 12 incident.

The stowaway, who prosecutors described as a “repeat trespasser,” had been out on bond before the latest incident and had previously tried to sneak into a plane on April 28, ABC 13 reports.

Following the April 28 incident, he was charged with criminal trespass and released on bond, again, with an order to stay away from the Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports.

Despite the warning, he was arrested for trespassing at the airport yet again on May 17.

He was also ordered to wear an electronic monitor, but police say Gutirres removed the device when he left to try and board the American Airlines flight last week.

An airport spokesperson said Gutirres hopped a security fence to enter the tarmac. Gutirres was found hiding inside the wheel compartment when an employee was conducting a pre-flight check.

The discovery led to several delays and interruptions over the busy Memorial Day weekend, with the airport noting that it was strengthening security in the wake of the incident.

Officials said the stunt Gutirres tried to pull off had previously proven successful after he hid in the landing gear of an American Airlines flight from Guatemala to Miami in November 2021.

Police noted that Gutirres entered the country illegally, although it is unclear how he got to Houston afterward. Court records show Gutirres was homeless and being evaluated for mental illness.

Gutirres is now being held on a $1 million bond, four times more than what prosecutors were seeking.