A meth-fueled madman hijacked a plane in Washington state and flew it a Southern California airport with his girlfriend, authorities said.
Christian Estoque, 38, was arrested at the Corona Municipal Airport on Jan. 27 on suspicion of operating an unregistered and possibly stolen aircraft, according to the FBI’s Los Angeles Bureau.
He was busted trying to steal another plane after climbing into the cockpit and turning on the jet’s engine, officials said. The unregistered pilot admitted to being high on methamphetamine at the time.
On Jan. 3, Estoque and his girlfriend allegedly stole a plane from the Auburn Municipal airport in Washington. The aircraft was recovered three days later at the Corona airport, the FBI said.
During the initial theft, the couple tampered with the aircraft’s transponder to hide their flight path, authorities said. Investigators said the airplane was spotted at another airport in Kelso, Washington, on Jan. 4.
Estoque made his initial court appearance on Thursday and was released on bond.
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