Florida man arrested after refusing to wear mask at Melbourne airport speaks to FOX 35

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Police arrested a Brevard County man on New Year's Day at the Melbourne International Airport after they say he refused to put on a mask.

Daniel Chase, 63, did an interview with FOX 35 Monday to share his side of the story. 

He told us he was here to pick up a rental car and that he had no idea about the federal mask mandate inside airports.  

The probable cause affidavit states that an officer told chase that masks were required and gave him one to wear.  The officer says Chase didn’t put it on and when he approached him a second time, Chase caused a scene and started swearing at him.

MORE NEWS: WATCH: Snow falls in Florida following first winter storm of 2022

Chase says he’s just an animated speaker. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis banned mask mandates in schools and barred local governments from enforcing mask mandates; however, airports fall under federal jurisdiction. 

"I had no idea that the airport had a different policy. All I know is that Gov. DeSantis says, I think he signed a bill saying, there’s no mask mandates in the State of Florida and that’s how I’ve been living," Chase said. 

FOX 35 News saw several signs at the entrances of the airport regarding the Transportation Security Administration's mask mandate. 

MORE NEWS: Kids burning Christmas tree in woods sparked brush fire, authorities say

When asked why he refused to put the mask on for a few minutes before leaving.

He replied, "I did put it on. The reason I don’t wear them is because I can’t breathe. The one he gave me was extremely small. It was clamped over my face like a clamshell. I could not breathe," he said. 

Chase was arrested on trespassing and disorderly conduct charges.

Watch FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.