Long Branch, N.J. – Authorities have identified the man who jumped off the radio tower in Long Branch as a 60-year-old Elizabeth resident.
On Monday evening, Pedro Macias, a 60-year-old Cuba native living in Elizabeth, climbed to the top of the old Y107 radio tower, located off of Memorial Parkway between Broadway and Belmont Avenue, and jumped to his death, Long Branch Public Safety Director Jason Roebuck said Tuesday night.
Macias fell through the roof a vacant “unsecured” building. It took authorities quite awhile to recover the body due to the state of building.
According to authorities Marcias worked on radio towers and ironically worked on the tower in Long Branch about a week ago.
Witnesses at the scene said it took the man 45 minutes to climb the tower and remained there for some time before jumping to his death. The account was taped on video from several witnesses.
Various emergency personnel from Long Branch and Asbury Park responded to the scene. But authorities said they couldn’t communicate with the man because he was too high in the air.
It took authorities late Tuesday to identify Marcias next of kin. When the family was finally reached, they did not have an explanation for his actions.
Authorities stated they do not know how Marcias gained access to the tower.
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