The recently renovated Cole Park Pier in Corpus Christi was the location of a Spring Break offense. Courtesy photo
A man who jumped off of the Cole Park Pier in Corpus Christi during Spring Break will be fined for his illegal actions. Initially, reports said a man had fallen from a pier railing on the afternoon of March 14. A review of security video, however, shows the man climbed the guard rails and intentionally jumped from the top rail into the bay.
The man tried to swim to shore but was unable to do so and was forced to hold onto a pier piling. The Corpus Christi fire and police departments were dispatched to rescue the man, who suffered minor injuries. Police issued him a citation with a penalty of up to $500 for violating a city ordinance.
“The new pier includes numerous safety features and is ADA accessible,” City Manager Peter Zanoni said. “The city of Corpus Christi has zero tolerance for acts of violence, vandalism, or pranks that erode public trust and cost taxpayer money.”
It is illegal to climb on city structures. A Corpus Christi ordinance states that “no person shall climb upon any building, wall, flagpole, light post, fence, barricade, water tower, railing, bridge, bridge structure, smokestack, or any other structure without first having the consent of the owner or custodian thereof.”
In addition to the citation fine, the city will send a bill of $2,689.75 to the offender for emergency services rendered.
