3 arrested for base jumping off cell phone tower in Wyoming, Minnesota

WYOMING, Minn. (KMSP) - Three base jumpers were arrested by police in Wyoming, Minnesota on Sunday night after leaping from the AT&T cell phone tower.

According to Wyoming police, around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, an officer on routine patrol around utilities and found an empty vehicle. Police later found three men climbing the tower. They refused police orders to climb back to the ground. The trio instead climbed to the top of the tower and jumped. The base jumpers were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct and obstructing the legal process.

"These facilities aren't people's playgrounds," said Wyoming Police Chief Paul Hoppe.

Chief Hoppe identified the three men as 25-year-old Aaron Stuyvenberg of St. Paul, 51-year-old Rollin Gieker Jr. of Maple Grove, and 44-year-old Karl Lips-Eakins of South St. Paul.

“Not only is this highly illegal and dangerous but you will be arrested and names forwarded to the Department of Homeland Security for trespassing on a public utility site,” Wyoming police posted on Facebook.

In January 2016, three base jumpers broke a lock and got onto the rooftop deck of the River Towers condo building in Minneapolis. All three landed on Marquette Avenue next to the building, without being hurt, but the building’s owner said “they need more constructive hobbies.”