By Emily Wunderlich
Tampa Bay Times
RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A man was taken into custody Saturday after deputies say he climbed a cellular tower in Riverview.
About 7 p.m., the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office aviation unit was called to assist deputies on the 13000 block of Rhodine Road after reports that a man was climbing a cell tower, the sheriff’s office wrote in a post on Facebook. The post included a short video that captured part of the incident.
The video shows aviation units directing deputies on the ground as the man climbs down the tower. According to the sheriff’s office, the man had been livestreaming a video for social media.
“We have eyes on him coming down the tower,” a deputy with the aviation unit says in the video. “He’s probably about three-quarters of the way up.”
The video shows the man climbing down the tower and then walking down the stairs, where he meets deputies back on the ground.
The man was then taken into custody without incident. The sheriff’s office did not identify him or what charges he is facing.
In the video, a deputy placing the man in handcuffs asks if he really made it all the way to the top.
“Yeah,” the man says.
“That’s pretty crazy,” the deputy says.
Sheriff Chad Chronister lauded the aviation unit and responding deputies in a statement.
“Their expertise and quick action ensured a potentially dangerous situation was resolved safely. We’re proud of their dedication to keeping our community safe,” he said.
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