Concertgoer Commits Suicide, Faced Charges

SARATOGA (KCBS)_ The man who jumped to his death during a concert at Saratoga's Mountain Winery Thursday night was facing domestic violence charges.

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that 32-year-old Michael Pickels, of San Jose, had also been charged with assault with a firearm and false imprisonment. He'd been released on $150,000 bail and was scheduled to be back in court on October 5th.

The audience was horrified when at around 10:30 p.m. Pickels fell from above the historic stone building that sits behind the stage.

Santa Clara County Sheriff's spokesman Rick Sung spoke about the incident.

"We know that the victim went to the concert with his friend who was there and saw him leaving the scene. The victim left his personal belongings behind, so the victim's friend didn't think too much of it at the time," says Sung.

Eyewitnesses told investigators that moments later, Pickels appeared in the lighting fixtures above the performance where he took a running leap, plunging onto the stage below, landing near Glen Hansard, lead singer for The Swell Season.

A doctor attending the concert and EMT's tried to revive Pickels for more than an hour, but were not successful.

He was pronounced dead on the stage.

The Swell Season later released a statement saying their hearts go out to the man, his friends and family.