People look over the flowers Wednesday placed on a fence at the site where David Greyson Howe, 15, a Ramstein American High School student, fell to his death June 12 near Miesau, Germany. (Charlie Coon / S&S)
BUCCHOLZ, Germany — A fence has been put up around an electrical tower that a Ramstein American High School student climbed June 12 before falling to his death.
Police said David Greyson Howe, 15, was likely electrocuted, causing him to fall from the 70-foot-high tower. An official cause of death was not provided in the police report.
It could not be confirmed on Thursday, a German holiday.
A spokesman from Pfalzwerke AG, which operates the tower and power lines, was not available for comment Thursday. Pfalzwerke AG officials told German police there was a power surge in the area at the time of the accident — about 4:45 p.m. — that was 20 kilovolts in power and lasted 3.5 seconds.
A witness said David often climbed the tower, according to the police report.
David was the son of Senior Master Sgt. Scott and Laura Howe. Scott Howe is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Detachment 4, The Air Force Regional News Center, Europe.
Tributes to David had been placed at the scene of his death.
A big, pink teddy bear had been tossed over the fence. It laid on its back at the base of the tower, the ink from signatures beginning to fade. Posters and bouquets of flowers were attached to the fence.
A poem was written on one poster in both English and German. Its last line read, “Memories that touch our heart never go lost ... Erinnerungen, die unser Herz beruhren, gehen niemal verloren ... In loving memory of Grayson[sic], Jenny.”
A candle and necklace were placed underneath the tower.
The tower is within a small playground off Speiss Strasse, a cul-de-sac in this quiet, residential area a few blocks from the Miesau ammunition depot, about 15 miles west of Kaiserslautern.
On Wednesday, a man pushed a young girl on the swing set there.
Across the street, a woman painted her fence. A man next door worked in his garden. Neither spoke English, but both seemed to understand when asked about the incident and sullenly shook their heads.
Motorists drove by the tower every few minutes to take a look.
“It’s not really safe,” Christine Semar, a German woman whose 6-year-old son attends a nearby school, said through an interpreter. “The children, if they see something like this, like to climb.
“And it’s in the playground.”
In addition to his parents, David is survived by his 9-year-old brother, Austin.
Memorial service
A memorial service for David Greyson Howe will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Ramstein High School gym.
The family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the local Boy Scouts.
For those wishing to donate:
Bank wire transfers to: Bank Of America, Fort Sam Houston SA, Fort Sam Houston BC, San Antonio, TX 78208, Attn: Overseas Division Germany, ABA No. 1140 0065 3, Greyson Howe Scout Memorial Fund, Account 3680860502.
Web transfer: Community Bank, P.O. Box 27165, Richmond, VA 23261-7165, Greyson Howe Scout Memorial Fund, Routing No. 051005504, Account No. 3680860502.
