An Arkansas man who lit himself on fire before jumping over a cliff on Monday was scheduled to go to trial in January on a charge of rape involving a juvenile, per reports.
The White County Sheriff's Office responded to Riverside Park in White County on Monday after "someone could be heard calling for help in the area below the cliffs," Lt. Scott Seiders told the White County Citizen.
Seiders was among the first responders at the scene, and told the outlet he "was able to see the man far down the cliffs and approximately 20 yards from the river."
The Searcy Fire Department was called to the scene for a "high-angle rescue and extraction by water." Seiders said he ran along the base of the cliffs until he reached the man, identified as 31-year-old Daniel Selby.
Selby was "conscious and alert" despite having been there for around three hours. Seiders said he had "a visibly broken leg, various impact injuries and second- and third-degree burns over much of his upper body."
Seiders said Selby told him that he "lit himself on fire with lighter fluid prior to going over the cliff edge." Selby was ultimately rescued and transferred to a waiting ambulance to be transported to a local hospital.
Selby is charged in a March 2023 rape involving a juvenile. His jury trial was scheduled to begin on Jan. 13, 2025, but Seiders said it "will likely be delayed while he recovers."
--With reporting by TMX
