A man was arrested Sunday night [March 10] after he was seen scaling the locked gates to walk along the length of the Ocean Beach Pier’s railings.
Around 6:45 p.m., officers were flagged down by beachgoers near the pier who spotted the man climbing the pier’s fence, San Diego police said. Officers gained access to the pier with the help of lifeguards and took him into custody without incident.
The man was seen walking along the pier’s railing and appeared to be well-balanced. OB-related photog Jim Grant took some amazing pics of the incident.
SDPD taking suspect into custody. He was cited for trespass and released. Photo by Jim Grant for SDU-T
According to SDPD, the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was later was released with a notice to appear in court for a trespassing charge.
No additional details about the incident were immediately available.
The Ocean Beach Pier has been closed since last October, due to the structure sustaining significant wear and tear from a series of storms. A demolition notice was posted in mid-January after massive waves battered the 57-year-old structure, causing even more extensive damage.
The notice came as the city inches closer towards breaking ground on its long-discussed project to restore the historic pier, which is considered the longest on the West Coast.
Called the “Ocean Beach Pier Renewal,” the project currently remains in the planning stage for a potential replacement — the most fiscally-feasible option considered by planners, given the cost associated with ongoing repairs to the existing structure.
The Ocean Beach Pier Renewal Project Community Workshop #4 will be held Saturday, April 6th, from 2pm to 5pm with a presentation at 2:15 followed by interactive workshops. It will be held at the Liberty Station Conference Center 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106
Three design options were offered to the public for what the new pier could look like.
In the meantime, San Diego officials are urging beachgoers, swimmers and surfers to remain more than 75 feet away from the structure for their safety, as pieces of the structure may break away and fall into the ocean below.
Mainly from Fox5/KUSI
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Who is this ignoramus?
It took five police officers and two lifeguards to arrest one guy?
Hey, it gave them all a good reason to get out on the pier at the end of a beautiful day.
They understood, I AM formidable.
What is wrong with doing some training? Actually balancing the whole pier wasn’t that easy, have you tried it? Moreover, the pier has been closed for years, but not that day, that day it was open to me and it was beautiful! Yes, your right 5 cops, I guess they thought I was Jack Bauer? Here’s my Facebook page so you can continue to judge me, but remember Jesus loves you: Timothy Michael Xynistoclesis, and Michael Horatius Art. “You must train diligently.” (Miyamoto Musashi)