Crisis team rescues 59-year-old SC man who climbed transmission tower

A 59-year-old West Columbia man was safely rescued Thursday after climbing a transmission tower overlooking Charleston Highway.

The West Columbia Police Department’s crisis negotiation team was able to talk the man back to the ground more than two hours after a 911 caller reported at 4:20 p.m. that a man had climbed a transmission tower, according to a statement released by the West Columbia Police Department.

Traffic was affected at the intersection of Charleston Highway, Williams Street and Airport Boulevard as police negotiators along with the West Columbia Fire Department, Cayce Fire and Police Departments and Lexington County Fire Department worked to rescue the 59-year-old.

Around 6:30 p.m., negotiators were able to convince the man to climb down from the tower, where he was then lowered to the ground, according to the statement. He was then transported to a local hospital for medical and mental health evaluations.

“I am thankful we could bring (him) down safely and make the needed resources available,” said West Columbia Police Chief Marion Boyce, who thanked the other agencies for their assistance.

This story was originally published March 25, 2023 at 1:03 PM.

Ted Clifford

The State

803-771-8315

Ted Clifford is the statewide accountability reporter at The State Newspaper. Formerly the crime and courts reporter, he has covered the Murdaugh saga, state and federal court, as well as criminal justice and public safety in the Midlands and across South Carolina. He is the recipient of the 2023 award for best beat reporting by the South Carolina Press Association.