Man tries to take control of taxi at Anchorage airport before jumping off ramp to flee officer, police say

A man who tried to take control of a taxi at Anchorage’s international airport and sustained injuries when he ran from a police officer and jumped down to a lower-level ramp was taken to the hospital Thursday, officials said.

Police received a call about a man struggling with a cab driver around 7 p.m. Thursday at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, said Dave Schulling, deputy chief of Anchorage Airport Police and Fire.

The man tried to take control of the vehicle, Schulling said, but he was not successful. The man then walked in front of another vehicle before spotting an airport police officer nearby, according to Schulling.

As the officer approached him, the man turned and ran before jumping off the upper ramp — near the departures area — down to the lower ramp, Schulling said.

“He went down — a significant drop to the ground below,” Schulling said.

The man was then taken to a hospital by Anchorage Fire Department medics, Schulling said. His condition was not immediately known Friday afternoon.

Airport police are investigating the incident, and charges had not been filed as of Friday afternoon, according to Schulling.