SAN FRANCISCO—A man breached a secure area at the San Francisco International Airport on Wednesday, December 8. Authorities chased the suspect onto the tarmac before he was taken into custody.

The incident began at the Southwest ticket counter and escalated, SFO Spokesman Doug Yakel explained.

“Police [responded] to an individual who appeared to be under the influence of a substance,” Yakel said.

Bystanders reported a man making odd jerking motions with his head at a terminal bench and Southwest employees called security.

“He was breathing. I reached out to take his vital signs. He popped up and just bolted,” paramedic Rafael Gordon informed ABC News.

The unidentified suspect ran away and jumped a set of dividers. Police pursued him, but tumbled attempting the same stunt.

He ran outside through SFO traffic and jumped about 20 to 30 feet down an embankment making it onto the airport’s tarmac.

Police cars began chasing the suspect in an attempt to block his path, but the suspect escaped.

He ran up and down the tarmac for about 90 seconds before slowing down, where police were able to take the suspect into custody.

“Every incident like this, every access control event as we call it, is a learning opportunity as well. We’re focused on continuous improvements so we want to learn what we can from this incident and that will be our focus moving forward,” said Yakel.

The name of the suspect has not yet been disclosed to the public.