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Mesa rescuers talk man down from electric tower
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A man straddles the metal framework of an SRP electrical transmission tower more than 100 feet in the air, coming dangerously close to the high voltage power lines. The man kept Mesa police and firefighters at bay for more than two hours on the tower located behind the Asante Apartment Homes complex on Gilbert Road and Covina Street in Mesa. Aug. 25, 2008.
Ralph Freso, Tribune
A Mesa man gambled with his life and the lives of rescuers as he balanced on an electrical tower more than 100 feet above the ground Monday night.
SLIDESHOW: Rescuers talk man down from tower
As police officers and firefighters tried to negotiate with the man, pedestrians crowded the area near Decatur Street and Oracle in Mesa watching the man swinging and moving recklessly on the 130-foot electrical transmission tower.
Mesa police identified the man as Shannon L. Palmer, 38. He faces charges of trespassing, criminal damage and disorderly conduct, according to police. He was checked by paramedics at the scene and taken into custody by police Monday night.
Witnesses speculated what may have caused Palmer to climb the tower.
"I heard that he had a picture of his girlfriend with him - and that he might be drunk," said Rodney Neilson, who lives in the neighborhood near Gilbert Road and University Drive. "He was just swinging around on top of the tower."
Other witnesses added that they saw Palmer throw an object to the ground, yelling what seemed like obscenities at bystanders and police.
Palmer was first seen by residents who called 911 about 6:30 p.m. and told authorities that a person was climbing the electrical tower, said Detective Steve Berry, spokesman for Mesa police.
When police arrived and tried to reach Palmer, he climbed higher.
Berry said police did not know if Palmer was planning to attempt suicide or if alcohol was a factor.
Witnesses said Palmer climbed all over the tower, swinging his legs and even demanding cigarettes.
A fall wasn't the only danger Palmer and rescue workers faced, Berry said. Palmer could have been electrocuted, Berry said.
There also was some concern that rescue workers might be injured as they attempted to secure Palmer in a harness.
The electrical transmission tower had 69,000 volts of electricity on the south side and more than 230,000 volts on the north side, said Mark Hungate, a Salt River Project field manager who came to the scene.
Witnesses and authorities said Palmer moved between both sides of the tower before police were able to convince him to move to a lower section of the tower where he was secured in a harness and lowered to the ground.
The incident ended about 8 p.m. when police handcuffed Palmer and strapped him to a gurney.
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