Justin Hayes, Baseball Fan Falls 150 Feet to Death at Turner Field During Atlanta Braves & NY Mets Game

25 year old Justin Hayes fell to his death during the 8th inning of the baseball game between the NY Mets and the Atlanta Braves. Hayes fell about 150 feet from the club level to the landing on the field level during the game. Hayes was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police are stating that alcohol was involved; however, friends and family are disputing that notion. An autopsy will answer that question.

The investigation is “pointing toward drinking. Alcohol was a factor,” said Atlanta police department spokesman Ronald Campbell on Thursday.

Campbell said Hayes may have been sliding down the hand rails when he fell.

“We are still waiting for the police report to be completed,” Campbell said. “We had officers working at the game.”

Mark Guilbeau, the senior investigator with the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office, said an autopsy will be performed.

The Braves issued a statement Thursday expressing sympathy for Hayes’ family.

Parents of deceased Braves fan release statement

Another Death on an Escalator at a Ballpark? First Mets now Braves

Now let’s fast forward to last night. The Atlanta Braves were hosting the Mets in a four game series. After the third win in a row, the unspeakable happened again. A 25-year-old man died after an incident involving falling off an escalator. An Atlanta Police spokesman addressed the situation and said the male may have been sliding down the rail and alcohol may have been involved. They will do an autopsy to confirm the alcohol accusation.

Aunt: Fan who fell did not have alcohol problem

Kathy Russell said Hayes’ family talked to friends with whom he attended the game. According to their accounts, “They were coming down the steps, he put his hip on the rail and was just going to slide down the rail and he flipped over backwards,” Russell said. “He was just being a goofball …”

Hayes was descending the spiraling walkway behind the home plate stands at the time of the accident, Braves officials said. When he slipped off the railing, he fell into the 6- or 7-foot-wide gap between the walkways.

Although Campbell said on Wednesday night that police believed Hayes had been drinking before the accident, Hayes’ aunt said he did not have a drinking problem.

“He probably had a couple beers and a hot dog at the ballgame,” said Russell. (AJC)

Man Dies in Fall During Braves-Mets Game
Fan’s Death Is Second Falling Fatality at a Mets Game This Year