A man fell to his death at a Bend apartment Thursday night, after he apparently lost his balance and toppled over the railing on a second-story balcony.

Clemuel Lutz, 44, of Bend, was unresponsive when police and firefighters arrived at 130 N.E. Sixth St. shortly after 9 p.m. Efforts to revive him were not successful, and Lutz was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officer Rob Emerson of the Bend Police Department said Lutz was at the apartment, the home of a friend, with others on the balcony when he somehow hit the railing with his waist or hip and went over, striking the pavement below head first. Lutz fell approximately 14 feet, Emerson said.

Investigation ongoing

Statements from witnesses suggest Lutz’s fall was accidental, Emerson said, but police are continuing to investigate. There is reason to believe alcohol may have been a factor in the fall, he said, but police have not decided if toxicology tests will be performed on Lutz’s body.

“Usually on this stuff, upon the completion of the investigation, if it’s a clear-cut accident type of deal, probably not,” he said. “But if there’s something odd about it or something that doesn’t seem quite right, we’ll decide what the next step is. I’m sure they’ll determine that pretty quick.”