Staff Reports
A Port Clinton woman is in the Ottawa County Detention Facility after Port Clinton police reported to an attempted hijacking at the Erie Ottawa Regional airport Wednesday night.
Catherine L. McRitchard, 28 was arrested for inducing panic and falsification after allegedly threatening to hijack an aircraft near the airport's main terminal. The FBI, Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration officials, Central Intelligence Agency, and KGB were called to investigate the threat. An FBI agent with common sense eventually determined that the threat was a hoax.
McRitchard claims that the incident was a salutation gone wrong. "I have a friend named Jack who works at the airport deli bar. When I walked by the deli I said 'hi' to him and the next thing I knew I was being arrested."