Matthew Ray Hancock, 36, was arrested Wednesday and is set to appear in court next week on charges of trespassing by driving a limousine through security at a Las Vegas airport while wearing a clown mask, and telling police he had a bomb before surrendering to authorities.
Hancock allegedly drove the limousine through the security barriers of the gates to a private air carrier at McCarran International Airport before he stopped near parked aircraft, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Witnesses said Hancock then exited the vehicle in a clown mask, told police and surrounding employees that he had a bomb in the car and was going to blow the airport up, which caused the employees to flee. Hancock then drove away.
Later stopped by authorities, Hancock allegedly told them to refer to him as “the chosen one,” according to Fox 5 Vegas and that he was planning to take a private plane to fly to Area 51, the famed Nevada military site that has long been a rumored site of aliens and UFOs online, to look for aliens.
He told police he had a shotgun and “gasoline device” in the car, and he would use them if they didn’t let him take a plane.
Police said they arrested Hancock and determined the “bomb” was an oxygen tank with a pressure gauge, Christmas lights and other metal objects attached to make it look like a bomb.
In interviews, Hancock reportedly told police he had “high-security clearance,” was involved with “the mob,” and that someone owed him millions of dollars.
Hancock is charged with felony counts of making a terrorist threat and causing dispersal with a hoax and misdemeanor trespassing.
He was reportedly “disruptive” in refusing to make his first scheduled court appearance Thursday, so he is due to appear again next Tuesday.
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According to police, Hancock told investigators he was “Tik Tok famous” after having been stopped by officers Nov. 11 and ticketed for reckless driving with a limousine spinning its tires through traffic on the Las Vegas Strip, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Police said McCarran air traffic was “altered” during the incident.
A judge set bail at $150,000 and ordered house arrest with electronic monitoring if Hancock is released. A deputy public defender represented him temporarily. It was not clear Friday if Hancock had hired a lawyer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.