ARIZONA NEWS

Man accused of driving through Arizona airport fence, holding family at gunpoint

Mar 24, 2022, 5:00 PM | Updated: Mar 25, 2022, 9:53 am

(Facebook Photo/Coconino County Sheriff's Office)...

(Facebook Photo/Coconino County Sheriff's Office)

(Facebook Photo/Coconino County Sheriff's Office)

PHOENIX — A Missouri man was arrested Saturday in Coconino County after he allegedly held his family against their will and was involved in ramming a gate and entering the tarmac at Grand Canyon Airport.

Kaspar Ahrens, 44, is accused of ramming a white truck through a gate at Grand Canyon Airport on Friday then leaving the scene, according to a press release from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

Later that day, authorities received a call requesting a welfare check after it was reported that Ahrens was holding his son and the rest of their family, including an infant, against their will with a firearm.

CCSO deputies and park rangers attempted to locate Ahrens and the family in Tusayan and Grand Canyon National Park that night, but were unable to locate them or any vehicles.

On Saturday at about 10 a.m., CCSO received a call that a white truck rammed a gate along the reservation line about 20 miles west of Tusayan.

The truck and a Jeep continued onto the Supai Reservation and rangers were able to maintain a visual on the vehicles, allowing for authorities to coordinate a response.

Ahrens was eventually arrested without incident after he became separated from the rest of his party.

Ahrens was charged with seven counts of felony endangerment, seven counts of threatening and intimidating, four counts of kidnapping, one count of criminal damage and one count of unlawful imprisonment.

He is being held on $75,000 bond at Coconino County Jail.

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Man accused of driving through Arizona airport fence, holding family at gunpoint