Fan on drugs got naked, scaled fence, fell into pit of new Buffalo Bills stadium site

The 29-year-old man, whose name was withheld, was charged with misdemeanor trespassing, taken to Erie County Medical Center and then transferred to Buffalo General Medical Center, sheriff’s officials said Monday during a news conference. He suffered cuts, including one to his forehead. 

He went inside a portable toilet, covered himself in the contents of the toilet before exiting, stripping naked and jumping the 10-foot fence of the construction site.

The incident happened in the lead-up to Sunday afternoon’s Bills’ home opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The stadium construction site is across Abbott Road from the current Highmark Stadium.

The man was issued an appearance ticket for Orchard Park Town Court. Officials said they did not have any information about his current condition.

The Erie County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the incident about 12:18 p.m. by Erie Community College security, which is responsible for the area outside the construction site. A private firm handles security within the site, sheriff’s officials said.

Someone had flagged down security to alert them of a person who appeared to be in distress, Undersheriff William Cooley said.

As security approached the man, he started running toward the construction site.

After scaling the fence, he ran and fell down one level of the pit. Then he got up, ran and fell again, this time to the bottom of the pit, which is about 30 feet below grade.

As the Sheriff’s Office’s helicopter, Air One, descended toward the scene, the man – as he laid in the pit – gave the “peace sign” to the crew with one hand while making an obscene gesture with the other, Sheriff John Garcia said.

Volunteer firefighters, medics and sheriff’s deputies eventually reached the man. The entire episode lasted about 20 minutes, Garcia said.

While at the construction site, the man told deputies he was under the influence of LSD, marijuana and cocaine.

The people the man had been with prior to the game apparently “just abandoned him,” Garcia said, and entered the stadium for the game. Authorities said they want to speak with those individuals and anyone else who may have seen or interacted with the man in the time leading up to the incident.

Authorities believe the man, who is from the area, had been tailgating in Lot G.

Garcia said his office is aware of at least one video of the incident.

The Sheriff’s Office made a single arrest related to the game, Garcia said: a man charged with harassment for allegedly pushing someone. That arrest came after the game, Garcia said.

Eight people were ejected from the stadium during the game, he said. Overall, he called it the “best behaved crowd” at a Bills home game since he became sheriff.

Construction on the new stadium began in late May and is expected to take three years. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held June 5.