A Martin County deputy was looking for the driver of a vehicle that went off a roadway and over an embankment.
Emergency crews said they heard a call for help and found Thomas Wood, of Inez, about 30 feet up a tree.
Wood reportedly told officials that he had climbed the tree after being chased by raccoons.
After being asked to come out of the tree, Wood allegedly said, “Leave me alone or I will jump.”
Eventually, Wood came down and police arrested him for leaving the scene of an accident with failure to render aid and possession of drug paraphernalia.