Airport Arrests: New Details & Updates
- Savannah, Ga. – Airport police arrested three men following an incident at a Comfort Inn & Suites near the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.
- Alexander Blanco-Medina, 26, and Jean Nieves-Ortiz, 19, were arrested June 1 and charged with false imprisonment and making terroristic threats.
- All three men are currently held at the Chatham County Jail without bail, pending a review of their immigration status by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Following an incident near Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, three men now face serious charges, including false imprisonment and aggravated assault, with ICE reviewing their immigration status. Arrests at the Comfort Inn & Suites near the airport followed alleged threats involving a firearm, leading to a lockdown and a swift police response. The suspects, Alexander Blanco-Medina, Jean Nieves-Ortiz, and Yeiker Luis Arevalo Hernandez, are held without bail, awaiting further legal proceedings. The inquiry unveils complex details, including allegations of forced entry and concealed firearms, as highlighted by bodycam footage and surveillance videos. News Directory 3 is on top of these developments, tracking the suspects’ alleged roles. Discover what’s next as the Chatham County court sets dates and authorities release more information.
Three Arrested in Savannah Airport Hotel Incident
Savannah, Ga. – Airport police arrested three men following an incident at a Comfort Inn & Suites near the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. The incident, which involved alleged threats and a brief lockdown, led to multiple charges for the suspects.
Alexander Blanco-Medina, 26, and Jean Nieves-Ortiz, 19, were arrested June 1 and charged with false imprisonment and making terroristic threats. The next day, Yeiker Luis Arevalo Hernandez was apprehended and faces charges of aggravated assault, making terroristic threats, and theft.
All three men are currently held at the Chatham County Jail without bail, pending a review of their immigration status by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The initial call to police reported threats involving a firearm at the hotel on Airways Avenue.
According to the police report, the hotel’s front desk clerk stated that three men, one allegedly brandishing a gun, forced their way into the hotel manager’s room on the second floor. The manager was able to push them out and secure the door before alerting authorities. Officers used a key to enter the room and escort the manager to safety.
Blanco-Medina and Nieves-Ortiz were found in the hallway. Body camera footage shows officers using cell phones for translation before an interpreter arrived. The two men claimed to be construction workers at the hotel and denied involvement in the incident.
Though, an airport officer reviewing hotel surveillance footage noted that the video showed the two men arguing and gesturing toward the victim outside the room. Hernandez was seen adjusting an object resembling a semi-automatic pistol in his pocket before allegedly forcing his way into the room.
Hernandez then entered a room on the first floor, damaging the lock from the inside, making it unachievable to enter with a master key. Police evacuated the first and second floors and called in the SWAT team. A search revealed Hernandez was not in the room. K9 units discovered two firearms wrapped in a blue t-shirt, matching the shirt Hernandez wore on the surveillance footage, behind dumpsters on the property.
Hernandez was later seen fleeing toward I-95, but eluded capture at that time. He was apprehended the following day by airport police. The role of each individual in the alleged crime is still under investigation, as is the role of the hotel in ensuring guest safety. The role of ICE will be to determine the immigration status of the suspects.
What’s next
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are expected to release more details as they become available. The Chatham County court will set a date for arraignment.