Police: ‘Man In Tree’ arrested after calling 911 over 40 times in few hours
Jan 29, 2025, 4:20 PM | Updated: 4:21 pm
Cody Miller, dubbed "Man In Tree," sits near the top of a sequoia tree Wednesday, March 23, 2016, in downtown Seattle. (Photo courtesy of The Associated Press)
(Photo courtesy of The Associated Press)
The infamous “Man In Tree” is making headlines again.
According to KATU, a news TV station in Portland, Oregon, citing court documents, police responded to a call Sunday evening after a man was reported yelling at neighbors for using a leaf blower in a driveway.
The man was identified by police as 37-year-old Cody Lee Miller, KATU stated, the same man who stayed in a Seattle tree for around 25 hours in 2016.
According to police, dispatch said Miller called 911 more than 40 times in three hours and made several threats.
“Cody called back and is threatening to walk into a precinct and shoot us,” dispatch said, as reported by KATU.
Miller also allegedly told dispatch, “I want to know where your kid’s phone is so I can cut his head off.”
KATU stated Miller was found at Washington Park and arrested, adding that, according to police, he also spit in the responding paramedic’s face.
Miller’s arraignment has been delayed twice “due to use of force concerns,” the media outlet said, citing court records.
KATU added Miller is due to be arraigned Wednesday on charges of aggravated harassment and improper use of the emergency communications system.
Why is Miller known as ‘Man In Tree’?
In 2016, Miller made national news after he refused to come down from a sequoia tree in downtown Seattle. He was then charged in King County’s regional mental health court with misdemeanor assault and malicious mischief.
Miller’s story went viral on X with #ManInTree trending.
While he was in the 80-foot tree, Seattle Police Department officers reported Miller appeared to be “suffering from a crisis.” He refused to speak to officers and reportedly told people he was armed with a knife.
Once in custody, Miller refused to leave his jail cell for his first court appearance. He was eventually found not competent to stand trial and sent to Western State Hospital for several months of mental health treatment.
Officials did not say if Miller was part of the homeless population but a police report stated he was previously arrested after being approached by an officer because he was sitting on the sidewalk in front of a Starbucks in Capitol Hill.
Contributing: Kipp Robertson, MyNorthwest
Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.
