Troopers search for Newburgh bridge jumper
Photo credit: Leslie Barbaro | Newburgh-Beacon bridge. (June 18, 2012)
Galleries
Tolls on New York bridges, tunnels
Rescue crews were searching for the body of a man who jumped from the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge on Thursday night, State Police said.
Troopers confirmed a man jumped from the north span a few minutes after 7 p.m. Two westbound lanes were closed for about two hours after the man jumped, causing major traffic delays on Interstate 84, police said. Those lanes were reopened by 9 p.m.
Police and fire marine units were still searching the Hudson River beneath the bridge two hours after the man jumped, troopers said.
The man drove onto the bridge and left his car in one of the westbound lanes before he jumped, cops said. The car later was towed from the bridge.
Police, working only from witness statements, did not have any identifying details about the jumper.
The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge consists of two parallel spans. The first opened in 1963 and originally handled traffic in both directions, and a second twin span was opened in 1980 to accommodate heavier traffic.
