A Florida man climbed a railroad crossing, police say. Then he took a stand for 10 hours
A Florida man managed to cause chaos for a lot of folks for about 10 hours in Lakeland over the weekend, after he climbed up railroad crossing light poles and stayed awhile.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office first sent out a traffic alert at around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, advising people to stay away from the area around Main Street and Highway 92, about 50 miles southwest of Orlando.
The initial post said that the man was “suffering a mental health crisis” and that drivers should stay away from the scene and the roadway was closed.
Pictures captured from the scene show the perilous situation, with the man 30 feet up standing on the mast, communicating with the emergency crews down below, but to no avail.
Eventually, four SWAT officers arrived and were able to bring him down from his perilous perch in a bucket. He was secured on the ground at around 2 p.m., authorities say.
Before being placed under arrest for disorderly conduct, the 28-year-old threw a plastic bag in the road. The contents later tested positive for methamphetamine, says a police report, which added that the man also exposed himself in a “vulgar manner.”
Charges included interference with railroad signals, the track, and other equipment; tampering with evidence; resisting with violence; possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia; exposure of sexual organs; and culpable negligence.
He was also issued a citation for obstruction of public streets. Four trains were “extremely delayed” and operations were “disrupted” for hours on end due to his actions.
He was taken to a hospital for evaluation. A hearing is set for Nov. 7, according to Polk court records.
