A 19-year-old Crystal City-area man threatening to commit suicide by jumping off a Festus water tower early Tuesday (Dec. 4) came down on his own a couple of hours later, authorities said.
Festus and Crystal City police worked together to convince the man not to go through with it, Festus Capt. Don Lassing said. He said the man told police he was distraught over a recent break-up with his girlfriend.
Lassing said the man called 911 at 3:32 a.m. to say he intended to kill himself by leaping off the 160-foot tower located behind Lowe's in the 1100 block of Bradley Street. The man also told 911 he had a large knife with him.
Responding officers found the man sitting on a horizontal support beam about a third of the way up the tower. Officers received the man's cellular phone number from 911 and called him, they reported.
The man told police he wanted to speak in person to his ex-girlfriend, who lives in another state, and he would say nothing else unless he got to speak with her. He ended the call and refused to accept any more calls, Lassing said.
Crystal City Detective Danny Wilkey, a crisis negotiator, arrived and was able to call the man on his phone. Lassing said after Wilkey spoke with the man for about two hours, he climbed down the tower on his own and turned the knife over to Wilkey.
Lassing said the man was taken into custody peacefully and taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center. Officers learned the man had consumed some alcohol, he said.
"Detective Wilkey did a fine job and probably saved the young man's life," Lassing said. "All of the officers involved did a fine job. This could have very well gone in a different direction."
Lassing said trespassing and other charges against the man are being considered.
In addition to police, members of the Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District and the Festus Fire Department were called to the scene.
--Kevin Carbery
