Pulaski County man arrested for allegedly damaging cellular tower

PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - A man was arrested Monday in Pulaski County after sheriff’s deputies said he was allegedly found trespassing at and damaging an AT&T tower.

Maynard Rupert, 49, of Burnside is charged with third-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools, first-degree criminal mischief and third-degree criminal trespassing.

Deputies were dispatched to the tower site on Old Keno Road in Burnside around 1 p.m. for a report of someone trespassing.

An AT&T technician told deputies that he had restored service at the tower earlier in the day after repairing damage from a previous incident. However, later in the day the technician got a report that the tower had gone offline again, and when he returned, he saw a man leaving the tower site and heading into the woods.

The technician said that the lines had been cut again at the tower and that he found the entrance to the site had been forced open.

Deputies searched the wooded area near the tower and a drone was deployed to help in the search. The drone spotted a man walking out of the woods who was identified as Rupert.

Rupert was arrested and taken to the Pulaski County Detention Center.