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Big Sur Bixby Bridge Base Jumper Sentenced - Central Coast News Story - KSBW The Central Coast
BIG SUR, Calif. -- A 47-year-old Aptos man who became a YouTube celebrity for his defiant base jump off Bixby Bridge in Big Sur was sentenced on Wednesday.
Steve Jester dodged jail time when a Monterey County judge decided that the base jumper will be placed on probation and must enter an alcohol rehab program.
The thrill seeker had faced up to three years in prison for his Dec. 8, 2010 stunt, which was recorded on video and uploaded to YouTube.
In the video, Jester ignores a California Highway Patrol officer's orders to step off the Bixby Bridge's ledge, jumps, does a mid-air flip, gleefully soars through the air with a rainbow parachute, and lands on the rugged beach below.
A jury found Jester guilty of four charges: threatening violence against a peace officer, driving under the influence of alcohol, possession of marijuana and disobeying peace officer orders.
But the jury found Jester not guilty of making threats of violence against the officer and his wife.
Jester is respected within the California base jumping and sky diving community, but his respect for law enforcement appears minimal in the YouTube video that recorded his jump.
Just as Jester began to climb up Bixby Bridge's ledge, CHP Officer Ben Grasmeck pulled up in his marked SUV.
"Don't even think about it, back up right now," Grasmeck ordered over his SUV's loud speaker.
"Oh, we're so busted," Jester said to his filming cameraman, but he continued preparing the parachute strapped to his body.
"I'm gonna do it anyway," Jester decided. "Here we go."
During his trial, Jester admitted he had been drinking before he drove to the bridge and jumped.
Likely because the entire incident was captured on video, it only took two days for the defense and prosecution to present their sides of the case and for the jury to complete their deliberations.
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