Police say a man was suffering from a mental health episode and will not be charged after he climbed a radio tower and refused to come down in Wonder Lake, prompting a major fire department response Wednesday.
The Wonder Lake Fire Protection District, Wonder Lake Police Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday to the area of South Drive and East Drive in Wonder Lake for a mental health call.
Sheriff’s deputies discovered a man climbing a radio tower adjacent to a building in the 7300 block of Hancock Drive.
Deputies reported the man was refusing to come down and requested the fire department to assist. The tower appeared to be at least 60 feet tall.
Police shut down traffic on East Drive and also shut down Hancock Drive from Wonder Lake Road to Wonder Lake Drive.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiation Team responded and worked to negotiate with the subject, according to Wonder Lake Police Chief Kyle Mandernack.
Bystanders reported the man was yelling, making threats and continued to refuse to come down.
Police radio traffic indicated residents in the area called about the subject walking in their yards just before the incident.
Wonder Lake Fire Chief Matt Yegge said the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm level for a high-angle technical rescue response.
Fire departments from throughout Lake County and McHenry County responded to the scene, including well over a dozen highly trained rescue technicians, “due to the significant height of the structure and the complexity of the situation,” Yegge said.
A LifeStar medical helicopter was called and landed at the Wonder Lake Fire Protection District station on Wonder Lake Road on standby.
The sheriff’s office issued an alert warning motorists to avoid the area due to the police activity and road closures.
Yegge said law enforcement personnel successfully managed communications and negotiations with the man.
Mandernack said the subject agreed to come down after the lengthy negotiation efforts.
Two firefighters eventually climbed the tower and made contact with the man around 2:15 p.m.
He was wearing no shoes and had rope around his body that appeared to be tied to the tower from his wrist.
Yegge said they were able to safely bring him down to the ground a short time later and he was taken to an awaiting ambulance.
“The Wonder Lake Police Department would like to thank all emergency personnel who responded to help with the incident. We would also like to thank the individual experiencing the mental health crisis in having faith in emergency personnel and our desire to get him the mental health that he needs,” Mandernack said.
The man was transported to a mental health facility for care. No criminal charges will be filed.
“The Wonder Lake Fire Protection District is grateful for the outstanding cooperation and professionalism demonstrated by all agencies involved in this incident. We extend our sincere thanks to the neighboring fire departments, law enforcement agencies, MABAS technical rescue teams, and the flight crew whose coordinated efforts contributed to a safe resolution,” Yegge said.