He tried to jump off a balcony at a Florida hotel. The parachute had an issue, cops say
A thrill seeker attempting to BASE jump off a balcony at a Panama City Beach hotel over the weekend didn’t make it home.
According to the Panama City Beach Police Department, officers responded to the Sunrise Beach Resort on Sunday and found a dead man on the sidewalk around 6:45 p.m. The Florida man was identified as Timothy Ackerman, 31, of Panama City Beach.
Investigators believe the adventurer jumped off the 23rd floor terrace with a parachute, but it didn’t deploy. Initial reports erroneously put Ackerman on the 14th floor.
The agency says the case is still open and under investigation.
The recreational sport “BASE” stands for four categories of fixed objects from which a person can jump: building, antenna, span, and earth.
Panama City Beach cops used the tragedy to remind any other spring breakers or adrenaline junkies not to attempt this dangerous stunt. While BASE jumping is not illegal in Florida, the individual could get arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct.
This story was originally published March 24, 2021 at 5:41 PM.
