A Colorado airplane pilot who was wanted for murder committed suicide after trying to steal a plane in Utah.
Brian Hedglin, a SkyWest Airlines pilot who was on leave allegedly tried to steal a commercial plane at St. George Municipal Airport on Tuesday. The 40-year-old murderer climbed a wire fence and then boarded a 50-passenger SkyWest plane when the airport was closed.
St. George city spokesman Marc Mortenson said Hedglin used a rug to climb the security fence during the night. After boarding the plane, he drove it past a terminal building causing damage to the wing. He then crashed the plane into cars in the airport's parking lot. He never got the plane off the ground, according to the Washington Post.
A police officer boarded the plane and discovered Hedglin with a bullet in his head. He had committed suicide. No other passengers were on board the CRJ200 jet.
Hedglin, 40, a part-time member of the Colorado National Guard was wanted for being connected to the murder of Christina Cornejo, 39, in Colorado Springs. Cornejo was found dead at her home on Friday. She had multiple stab wounds.
KKTV reported that Hedglin dated Cornejo for four years. He was arrested in March after the couple had a huge argument, but he was free on a $10,000 bond when Cornejo was murdered.
"It was quite the crime scene, from what I understand," CSPD spokesperson Barbara Miller told KKTV Friday.
The Utah airport was closed to commercial traffic as the FBI and the Transportation Security Administration investigated the incident. Some passengers who had flights had to make other arrangements.
SkyWest officials released limited details about the incident. "The aircraft did sustain damage; the extent of the damage is currently being inspected by our maintenance and safety professionals," the airline told CBS News. "SkyWest is cooperating with authorities in the investigation."
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