More charges filed against man accused of damaging cellular towers in Miami County

At least three cellphone towers — one Verizon and two owned by AT&T — have been damaged in Troy, as well one in Tipp City and another elsewhere in Miami County, Troy police Chief Shawn McKinney said previously.

Similar charges were filed against Daniels last week for damage to an AT&T tower on South Mulberry Street in Troy and another tower on state Route 202 in Staunton Twp., according to municipal court records.

No charges have been filed for the fifth tower in Tipp City that was damaged.

Troy police responded Dec. 5 to the tower on South Mulberry Street on a criminal damaging report. The tower reportedly serves five miles of AT&T customers.

“It looked like something was used to break open the gate and then break the power lines to the tower,” according to court documents. “From the peel marks it looked like something attached to a vehicle to pull the gate and break the lines.”

Damages were an estimated $5,000.

The Miami County Communications Center received calls earlier in the day from a man claiming “people were trying to get to him and take down ‘towers’ in Troy,” according to court records.

Shortly after, dispatchers received two calls from people in the Sheridan Court and Lee Road area about a man entering or attempting to enter houses.

Officers found Daniels on Hilltop Circle with a metal pole. Another man was holding Daniels, who was “distressed” and “screaming about calling Homeland Security and ‘being chased,’ ” according to court documents.

Daniels reportedly identified himself as the man who called 911 dispatchers about the towers.

He later told an officer they need to “stop the aliens from coming and said they are getting us through our power source. Christopher said Troy was safe because he had already taken out the tower in Troy with a chain and a vehicle,” according to court records.

Miami County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a cellphone tower in the 300 block of state Route 202 after a truck was reportedly used to disable the tower.

Deputies noted deep tire ruts that appeared to be from a vehicle struggling to maintain traction while pulling on multiple large bundles of fiber optic wires attached to the tower and a large fuse box, according to court records.

Daniels’ drives a white Chevrolet pickup truck. His truck tires reportedly matched the treads at the scene.

Troy police officers checked other cellphone towers in the city and found extensive damage at the AT&T tower on Foss Way and the Verizon tower in the 200 block of East Staunton Road, according to police reports.

Daniels is scheduled to be in court Dec. 20 for a preliminary hearing on the most recent charges.

He remains held in the Miami County Jail.