2 arrested after early-morning Christmas Eve parachute jump from downtown Raleigh crane
Two men face trespassing charges after kicking off Christmas Eve with an early-morning jump from a crane in downtown Raleigh, police said Tuesday.
Jason McClure, 51, of Raleigh and Jorge Chacon, 37, of Durham are each charged with first-degree trespassing and resisting a public officer, court records show.
Police were called to the new Raleigh City Hall construction site on West Hargett Street about 2 a.m. Tuesday after a security alarm went off, according to court documents.
McClure and Chacon were at the top of the crane with parachutes when officers arrived, a news release said. Officers told them to get down, but the pair refused, according to arrest warrants.
“Shortly after, the two jumped off the crane and onto the top parking deck of City Hall,” the release said. “Both were not injured during this incident.”
It wasn’t immediately clear how the duo gained access to the construction site. The investigation is ongoing, police said.
Experienced skydivers
The pair appear to be competitive skydivers.
▪ McClure was part of a team that won a silver medal at a U.S. Parachute Association competition in September 2023, according to a Facebook post.
▪ Chacon participated in a speed skydiving team competition in October 2023, a US Parachute Team Facebook post shows.
A March 2023 Wake Living magazine article described Chacon as a passionate skydiving instructor of almost 10 years. He got his interest in skydiving from his mother, who was part of the first group of female paratroopers in Ecuador, the article said.
Brasfield & Gorrie, the contractor on the project, issued the following statement, according to WRAL: “We’re thankful no one was hurt and we’re evaluating site security protocols. Existing security protocols helped notify police early. We’re working with local law enforcement during the investigation and cannot comment further on an ongoing investigation.”
Both men were booked into the Wake County Detention Center with bail set at $2,000 secured, records show.
This story was originally published December 24, 2024 at 8:49 AM.
