Newark Airport Terminal B evacuated and passenger is arrested

NEWARK — A major disturbance unfolded Thursday evening at Newark Liberty International Airport as Terminal B was evacuated when a woman ran into a secure area of the airport.

Port Authority police ordered everyone out of the terminal around 9:15 p.m. when Shanita Witter, 24 who had just arrived on a flight bolted for a security door, according to spokeswoman Lenis Valens.

Witter is a New Jersey resident but Valens declined to disclose her town.

A search with K9s located Witter an hour later.

She was charged by Port Authority police with defiant trespass and interfering with transportation. Witter was released pending a court date.

Travelers had to be rescreened in order to re-enter the terminal which houses many international airlines plus Delta, Spirit and some United flights.

Report confirms what we knew: Newark Airport worst in U.S. (Opinion)

Earlier on Thursday, a United Boeing 777 headed to Brazil with 256 passengers on board returned to Newark when a problem developed with a hydraulic pump.

Video of the plane shows sparks coming off the bottom of the plane and three pieces of debris falling to the ground near a parking lot.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

These NJ towns have the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases

Looking at data compiled by the Department of Health in 2019, the most recent year for which reports are available, we determined the rate of STDs for 1,000 people in every municipality. The data combines reports of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. For a different look, you can check out this article for a list of New Jersey towns that saw the highest increase in STD/STI cases in recent years.