Police Say Fan Who Fell Several Stories At Broncos Game Was 'Highly Intoxicated'
DENVER (CBS4) - A man who critically hurt himself when he fell off a landing on Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High was trying to retrieve a friend's hat that blew off.
That's according to Denver police, who released a report on the accident on Monday.
The man has been identified as Francisco Morales, 42. Police said he was "highly intoxicated." His family says he's in stable condition but still isn't conscious.
The incident happened just before kickoff of the Broncos game against the Baltimore Ravens. The report states the victim was trying to jump from one landing at the stadium to another where the hat had floated over to. They say the landings are separated by a "straight fall down."
Francisco landing on a concrete ramp.
Morales was at the game with his wife. A GoFundMe page that was set up to help him states that Francisco Morales sustained brain swelling and has a fractured spine. His wife told CBS4 he had to undergo surgery to have part of his skull removed to relieve the swelling. Doctors say the next 48 hours will be very telling about his recovery because of the brain injury he's suffered.
Morales is a probation officer and father of three.
"He's a good person, brother and son and good father," sister Annette Morales told CBS4's Jennifer Brice.
Annette Morales and other family members flew to Denver from El Paso, Texas to be at her brother's hospital bedside.
"We hope and pray that he'll pull through this and be as close to who he was before the accident," Annette Morales said. "If people can help out anyway they can, mostly we just want prayers for him to recover."
The Broncos released a statement about the fall saying they are referring all questions to the Denver Police Department.