BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — A Martin County man went to jail early Sunday morning after authorities found him perched in a tree 30 feet above the ground. The man claimed he had fled from raccoons, police said.

Deputy Steven Putman of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office responded to Delong Fannin Road around 1:47 a.m. after a report of a vehicle crash. When he arrived, a white Jeep Wrangler was over an embankment—but its driver was missing.

Emergency personnel at the scene reported hearing cries for help near the creek bank. As Deputy Putman made his way approximately 800 feet along the embankment, calling out, a voice eventually answered.

“He responded, ‘Leave me alone or I will jump,’” Putman said. “I looked up and the male subject was 30 feet off the ground in a tree the size of a phone pole. He stated he had three or four raccoons after him so he ran up the tree.”

The man, Thomas Wood, 47, of Inez, faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident–failure to render aid or assistance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Wood reportedly told authorities he had backed his Jeep over the hillside while attempting to turn around in the road.

No injuries were reported.