Cyclist who fell 60ft to her death from a Florida DRAWBRIDGE that opened while she was crossing it was just 10ft from safety

[DrQ]

Cyclist who fell 60ft to her death from a Florida DRAWBRIDGE that opened while she was crossing it was just 10ft from safety when the span opened and she plunged through the widening gap in the road

• Cyclist was crossing Royal Park Bridge connecting Palm Beach to the Florida mainland when the drawbridge began rising
• Woman was just 10 feet away from barrier arms when the span opened
• Man on a skateboard raced to save the woman and grabbed her, but lost his grip
• Police are trying to determine whether the bridge tender opened span without making sure there was no one crossing it, or whether bicyclist was at fault

Bicyclist falls to her death from rising Florida drawbridge

A bicyclist fell 60 feet to her death when the Royal Park Bridge connecting Palm Beach to the Florida mainland began rising on Sunday afternoon. A man on a skateboard tried to save her, but lost his grip.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Bicyclist falls to death from drawbridge that connects West Palm Beach to Palm Beach

An investigation is underway in West Palm Beach after a bicyclist fell to her death from a draw bridge that connects the city to Palm Beach.

www.wptv.com

 

[pedro47]

This is just a very sad story.

 

[Brett]

There are a lot of drawbridges in Florida. Two weeks ago I rode my ebike from Palm Harbor to Honeymoon Island in Florida and the drawbridge opened but before that the crossbar came down and blocked car and cyclist traffic

 

[DrQ]

There are a lot of drawbridges in Florida. Two weeks ago I rode my ebike from Palm Harbor to Honeymoon Island in Florida and the drawbridge opened but before that the crossbar came down and blocked car and cyclist traffic

It looks as if this woman was walking her bicycle on the sidewalk across the bridge. It looks like she was on the bridge when they dropped the gates and was 10 feet from completing her crossing when the operator started raising the bridge.

There was an eyewitness on a skateboard that crossed the closed gate and tried to grab her, but lost grip and she fell to her death.

 

[beejaybee]

Evidently there was a drawbridge operator on duty. That person is obligated to make sure no vehicles or pedestrians are on the raisable sections before it is raised. Is there reporting on the type of boat that the bridge was raised for?

 

[Roger830]

Local CBS reports that the woman was hanging onto the railing after the bridge opened, then lost her grip. The pedestrian couldn't reach her.

Bicyclist falls to her death from rising drawbridge in Palm Beach County

Police say a 79-year-old bicyclist fell to her death when a drawbridge connecting Palm Beach to the Florida mainland began rising before she could reach the other side.

www.local10.com

 

[pedro47]

Local CBS reports that the woman was hanging onto the railing after the bridge opened, then lost her grip. The pedestrian couldn't reach her.

Bicyclist falls to her death from rising drawbridge in Palm Beach County

Police say a 79-year-old bicyclist fell to her death when a drawbridge connecting Palm Beach to the Florida mainland began rising before she could reach the other side.

www.local10.com

The family of the bicyclist is going to suit the operate of the drawbridge and state of Florida Department of Transportation. IMHO

 

[bogey21]

The family of the bicyclist is going to sue the operate of the drawbridge and state of Florida Department of Transportation. IMHO

I'm tired of lawsuits. I'm tired of everchanging Covid rules, mandates, etc. I'm tired of protests. I'm tired of Congress bickering and doing nothing. I'm tired of TV opinion newscasters and personalities. I'm tired of TV reviews of calls at football, basketball and baseball games. I'm tired of traffic. I need some sleep...

George

 

[Jan M.]

DH and I have been trying to figure out several things about what happened. If there's a video on You Tube not sure I'd want to see it.

Drawbridges raise or lower slowly. Also there's a very loud bell/horn/siren that goes off too. 10 feet from safety isn't that far; that's the size of a smaller bedroom. So the alarm sounded and shortly thereafter the bridge started to go up. Was the woman confused that she didn't immediately abandon her bike and move as quickly as she could to get off the bridge?

 

[Talent312]

Having driven over many South Florida drawbridges, I concur.
An alarm sounds and the bridge raises rather slowly.
There would've been time to stop, but she must have thought she could beat it across.

A long time ago, my mother was nearly at the top of a bridge when an alarm sounded.
She asked what she should do,. "Keep going," my father said. We made it across fine.

 

[geekette]

DH and I have been trying to figure out several things about what happened. If there's a video on You Tube not sure I'd want to see it.

Drawbridges raise or lower slowly. Also there's a very loud bell/horn/siren that goes off too. 10 feet from safety isn't that far; that's the size of a smaller bedroom. So the alarm sounded and shortly thereafter the bridge started to go up. Was the woman confused that she didn't immediately abandon her bike and move as quickly as she could to get off the bridge?

Or hop on the bike and pedal like crazy

 

[Ty1on]

I'm tired of lawsuits. I'm tired of everchanging Covid rules, mandates, etc. I'm tired of protests. I'm tired of Congress bickering and doing nothing. I'm tired of TV opinion newscasters and personalities. I'm tired of TV reviews of calls at football, basketball and baseball games. I'm tired of traffic. I need some sleep...

George

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I heard she was "walking" her bike. I think if it were me (and I heard the warning bells and whistles) I would get on the bike and get myself out of there as fast as I could.

Now, maybe she was deaf? Maybe she had a flat tire and hence she couldn't ride the bike? Maybe she Alzheimers disease and was just confused?

There are a lot of questions that need answering but CLEARLY the gate tender should never raise the bridge when a vehicle, pet, pedestrian or bicycle are present. My guess is that he/she will lose their job and will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Not a Lawyer, but just an opinion.




.

 

[MULTIZ321]

Florida bicyclist falls to her death from rising
drawbridge

Florida bicyclist falls to her death from rising drawbridge

West Palm Beach authorities are investigating how a bicyclist wasn't seen by a bridge tender who opened the draw bridge before a woman fell multiple stories to her death.

www.wtxl.com

.


Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

Florida bicyclist falls to her death from rising
drawbridge

Florida bicyclist falls to her death from rising drawbridge

West Palm Beach authorities are investigating how a bicyclist wasn't seen by a bridge tender who opened the draw bridge before a woman fell multiple stories to her death.

www.wtxl.com

.


Richard

West Palm Beach police identify woman who died after falling from bridge that went up with her on it

An investigation is underway in West Palm Beach into how and why a woman fell to her death while crossing a drawbridge that went up while she was walking across it.

www.wpbf.com

.


Richard

 

[Superchief]

I heard she was "walking" her bike. I think if it were me (and I heard the warning bells and whistles) I would get on the bike and get myself out of there as fast as I could.

Now, maybe she was deaf? Maybe she had a flat tire and hence she couldn't ride the bike? Maybe she Alzheimers disease and was just confused?

There are a lot of questions that need answering but CLEARLY the gate tender should never raise the bridge when a vehicle, pet, pedestrian or bicycle are present. My guess is that he/she will lose their job and will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Not a Lawyer, but just an opinion.




.

Initially I thought perhaps the person was wearing headphones and didn't hear the alarms or notice the bridge starting to rise. As others have mentioned, the bridges typically rise very slowly so I'm surprised she wasn't able to get to the safe area prior to it getting to an angle resulting in a fall.

 

[moonstone]

Drawbridges raise or lower slowly. Also there's a very loud bell/horn/siren that goes off too. 10 feet from safety isn't that far; that's the size of a smaller bedroom.

That has been our experience. Twice in our 40+ years of visiting St. Augustine FL we have been walking across the Bridge of Lions when the alarm sounded that the bridge was going to be raised, then there was quite a few seconds before the arms went down and it actually started to move. We already knew the bridge needed to go up as we could clearly see a sail boat approaching when we were in the center of the bridge. Luckily we had no trouble making it beyond the barriers without needing to run. We also saw the bridge operator have a good look out both sides of his booth before the bridge began to raise and have also seen them do it when stopped in our vehicle on the bridge. I don't know what happened with that accident yesterday, but it is a very sad story. RIP dear woman.


~Diane

 

[plpgma]

I heard she was "walking" her bike. I think if it were me (and I heard the warning bells and whistles) I would get on the bike and get myself out of there as fast as I could.

Now, maybe she was deaf? Maybe she had a flat tire and hence she couldn't ride the bike? Maybe she Alzheimers disease and was just confused?

There are a lot of questions that need answering but CLEARLY the gate tender should never raise the bridge when a vehicle, pet, pedestrian or bicycle are present. My guess is that he/she will lose their job and will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Not a Lawyer, but just an opinion.




.

My understanding is that is the sole purpose of a drawbridge operator in the first place -- to visually ensure no one is on the bridge before it gets raised! Otherwise they would all be automatic/unmanned.

 

[PrairieGirl]

I don't give a damn about what this poor woman did or didn't do. How in the world did the gate tender NOT notice that this woman was "clinging for her life"and AT LEAST stop raising the bridge or start lowering it? The vessel could have been notified to wait.

As many posters have pointed out, the gate tender should always check for vehicles/pedestrians before raising the bridge. Does that not include WATCHING as the bridge is being raised for perhaps missing something? Obviously not in this case. After all of the "investigations" are complete and the "recommendations" come out, hopefully keeping an eye out for this type of incident is on the list.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Today, Thursday, March 17th, the Bridge Tender, age 43, was arrested in connection with this incident and charged with manslaughter....

She had been drug tested on February 6th and did pass the drug test at that time.




.

 

[DrQ]

Today, Thursday, March 17th, the Bridge Tender, age 43, was arrested in connection with this incident and charged with manslaughter....

She had been drug tested on February 6th and did pass the drug test at that time.

It's sad. I'm sure that she did not mean to do it, but she has to live with what her moment of inattention caused.

 

[Roger830]

Apparently the bridge tender lied when she stated that she went onto the balcony to check if the bridge was clear.
A camera shows that she wasn't on the balcony.

Officials: Florida drawbridge tender lied to police after 79-year-old woman's deadly fall

Court documents show Paulk lied during her statements to police, and conspired with her supervisor before deleting text messages between the two.

www.wesh.com