COSHOCTON — A Lancaster man is in critical condition after falling from a 45-foot television tower

Terry Liken, whose age is believed to be in his early 40s, was helping Dave Dickerson of 1820 Chestnut St., Coshocton mount a ham radio antenna onto the mast pipe of a television tower when the safety belt he was wearing snapped.

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The fall happened around 8:05 p.m.

“I just came down to get my belt and was headed back up there to help him,” said Dickerson. “Before I could get up there, they hollered at me and said Terry fell. We called 911 and they came right up.”

Two units from Coshocton County EMS responded along with Sheriff’s Deputies, Coshocton City Fire Department and REACT.

He was transported by EMS to Coshocton County Memorial Hospital and then to The Ohio State University Medical Center by Lifeflight just before 10 o'clock.

“He was hurt,” Dickerson said. “He said he could hardly breathe. He landed right on his face and he said his hip hurt and his chest hurt. “He said ‘I hurt. Help me’.”

Dickerson regrets not having gone up to the tower to help sooner, but admitted that had he been aloft, he may have been injured as well.

“They said if I’d been up there too, he probably would’ve dragged me down with him,” Dickerson said. “That’s something you don’t know but that’s where I was headed. I really don’t have any business climbing but I wish I was there 10 minutes sooner.”

DIckerson feels terrible for his friend.

“I feel so bad because he volunteered to help me,” he said. “He was doing me a favor,” Dickerson said. “I’m tempted to go up there and cut (the tower) down and forget all about it.”

jbarstow@nncogannett.com
740-295-3428