Homicide suspect held after standoff on crane

ATLANTA -- A 56-hour standoff with a homicide suspect clinging high atop a construction crane ended early yesterday when the man thirstily reached for a drink of water offered by police and was subdued with a quick shot from a stun gun.

Carl Edward Roland was lowered safely to the ground and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where officials said he was in good condition, but doctors were monitoring him. Roland, 41, climbed the 18-story-high crane Wednesday evening and told police he was thinking of killing himself by jumping, authorities said.

Roland was wanted in Pinellas County, Fla., in the death of former girlfriend Jennifer L. Gonzalez, 36, whose body was found Tuesday. An arrest warrant affidavit accuses Roland of strangling Gonzalez and dumping her body into a pond behind the apartment complex where she lived.

Police expected to charge him with crimes in Atlanta in addition to the Florida charges.

During early negotiations with police, Roland had refused offers of food and water.

Yesterday, Sergeant John Quigley said, police again offered water and Roland got close enough to be stunned with a Taser. ''Apparently, he was thirsty," Quigley said.