The Premise, Inc., 38-year-old lead tower tech had succumbed after falling from this 125-foot monopole in Marion, Iowa, owned by Array Digital Infrastructure.
At approximately 12:30 p.m. on Friday, October 10, the Marion, Iowa, Fire Department was dispatched to a reported tower accident at 3602 N. 10th Street in Marion, where an individual had fallen from a communications tower and was found unconscious and bleeding.
Dane Picknell passed away on October 10, in Marion, Iowa. (Facebook Photo)
Wireless Estimator was able to identify today that the deceased was tower tech Dane Eugene Picknell, age 38, of Cambridge, MN
According to the department’s statement, the first-arriving crew located Picknell and determined that CPR had already been initiated by personnel on site. Despite continued resuscitation efforts by the Marion Fire Department and Area Ambulance Service, those efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Emergency responders on scene included the Marion Police Department, Area Ambulance Service, LifeGuard Air Ambulance, and representatives from the State Medical Examiner’s Office.
Authorities confirmed that the incident remains under investigation by the Marion Police Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Picknell had been employed by Premise, Inc., a telecommunications contractor based in Minneapolis, MN, for the past 4 years. He began his career in 2010, working for Vinco, Inc. of Minneapolis for six years, attaining a foreman’s position before leaving to join Summit’s Edge Communications, where he continued to hone his skills and friendships throughout the industry, leaving a lasting impact on everyone he met.
A Premise spokesperson stated today that the company would not provide additional information at this time, out of respect for the individual’s family and the ongoing investigation.
Limited details of the fall are available
Array Digital Infrastructure owns the monopole where the accident occurred and stands approximately 125 feet tall. It is not yet known from what height Picknell fell from or what specific task he was performing at the time of the incident. It is unknown what carrier Premise was performing services for. Marion Police did not respond to multiple requests for information.
This marks the fourth fatality involving a tower technician in the United States so far in 2025.
Services set for October 24, 2025
A visitation will be held on Friday, October 24, from 11:00 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Rausch and Steel Funeral Home in Barron, MN, with a Celebration of Life to follow at Stix Pub starting at 3:00 p.m.
Honorary pallbearers are TJ and Landon Romsos, Connor Romsos, and Jed and Jake Kittleson.
Dane was born to Todd and Roxann (Harris) Picknell on August 20, 1987, in Rice Lake, MN. He was lovingly raised by his parents, Todd and Danette (Solie) Picknell, in Barron.
He is survived by: his dad, Todd; sister, Bailey (Scott) Smith; brother, Jason Halvorson; daughters, Lexi and Shelby; niece, Jorey; nephews, Eli and Cash; grandma, Barb Picknell; grandpa, Bill Gelting; many aunts; uncles; cousins; and countless friends including his chosen 2nd family, Dale, Sam, Jackson, Leonard, Maverick, and Aria.
He was preceded in death by his mom, Danette; his mother, Roxann; his brother, Mick Halvorson; his grandpa, Gene Picknell; his grandma, Carol Gelting; and his uncle, Paul Schmitz. His obituary is available here.
