Employee mistake causes extra security check at Nashville airport

Sept. 2, 2010
Man who was late for work reportedly blew off security screening

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --

An employee who was late to work set off a security scare at Nashville International Airport Tuesday morning.

Airport officials said Letwan Townsend, a worker at Delta Global Services, set off an alarm as he tried to pass through a security checkpoint.

When a screener told Townsend he had remove his boots, he said it was his belt that was the problem. The screener told him again that he would have to take off his shoes.

Townsend then said he didn't have time for that, took his bag and headed toward the terminal, according to airport officials.

Airport security deboarded passengers on a Continental Airlines flight 2175 to Houston and rescreened their bags because Townsend had loaded the passengers' baggage for the plane.

Nothing dangerous was found during the rescreening.

Townsend told authorities he was late to work and thought it would be faster to enter at the employee entrance near the checkpoint.

When he was asked to remove his boots, he said he decided to go his normal way. Townsend said he did not realize that once screening procedures began he had to stay and finish the process.

Passengers reboarded the flight to Houston a few minutes later.

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