Man Threatens To Jump From 150-Foot Cell Tower In Lutz

LUTZ, FL — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office safely guided a man down a cell phone tower after he claimed he would jump from the 150-foot tower.

At around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, a man climbed up the cell phone tower near 18125 U.S. 41 N. in Lutz. In an effort to get the man safely down the tower, the Crisis Negotiation Team was called out to assist deputies.

After about three hours of speaking and negotiating with the man, he agreed to climb down on his own. As a precautionary measure, he was treated by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue personnel and taken to a nearby hospital where he was placed under the Baker Act.

"Because of the dialogue between our crisis negotiators and deputies on the ground, this man removed himself from a very dangerous situation," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "This was the best possible outcome for today."