GRAVESTOWN, Miss. (WTVA) - The sheriff of Benton County recalled the moment when Cory Patterson was arrested after landing a plane in a field.
Sheriff Robby Goolsby said he was one of the first law enforcement officers to arrive at the field.
The field is located along Highway 4 in Tippah County, very close to the Benton County border.
The sheriff said Patterson was very emotional when he was arrested, telling officers he never meant to hurt anyone.
"You could tell he was upset,” the sheriff said. “He appeared as though he had been crying. He didn't resist and complied with everything I asked him to do."
This picture was taken after the plane landed in a field in Tippah County, Mississippi, on Sept. 3, 2022. Credit: Tyler Graves.
The plane remains in the same spot where Patterson landed it.
Law enforcement officers have been guarding the location.
It’s not known when the plane will be removed.
According to the Tupelo Police Department, the 29-year-old stole the small plane from the Tupelo Regional Airport Saturday morning.
Police said Patterson, who worked at the airport and had access to aircraft, threatened to crash the plane into the Walmart store on West Main Street.
He would ultimately land the plane in the Tippah County field five hours later.
Tupelo Police charged him with grand larceny and making a terroristic threat. Patterson may also face federal charges.
