PALM BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) — A woman in Palm Beach had a miraculous escape on the night of April 2 after falling from a drawbridge. Police have released frantic 911 calls for help after the 57-year-old woman was rescued.
A fisherman nearby said he heard cries for help but was not sure where the calls were coming from. Once he realized a woman was under the bridge, he called 911.
“I need the Coast Guard down here to the Okeechobee Bridge and Intercoastal,” said Jeffrey Roberts to the 911 dispatcher. “Some girl fell through the bridge when it was open with her bike and she stuck up under this ledge.”
The woman was walking her bicycle across the Royal Park Bridge. The bridge opened before she and her bike fell between the spans, with the bike lodged terrifyingly under the bridge. The woman landed on one of the platforms and was not seriously injured, but she was stuck on the platform with the threat of the drawbridge possibly opening again.
“We didn’t know if it was actually someone needing help because it wasn’t very clear at first when she started yelling,” continued Roberts. “There is one of the piers and we kept calling out, ‘Where are you? Are you in the water?’ Just as we started calling out to her to see if we could get her to answer us.”
Detectives said the victim was walking east and was about three feet from the pedestrian warning gates when the drawbridge opened, and she and her bike slid through the crack. She also managed to call for help despite the cuts to her arm.
Police said they interviewed the 28-year-old female bridgetender who said she followed all protocols, including warning bells, the gates coming down, and a physical walk outside her office to make sure no one was on the bridge before opening it.
“We’re confirming that, in fact, they were all followed and we’re all still trying to determine exactly how this woman felt,” said West Palm Beach Police spokesperson Mike Jachles. “The fortunate thing is she escaped serious injury.”
Investigators said the stories don’t add up so they are planning to re-interview the woman to determine exactly how the incident occurred. They hope she’ll remember things differently after she recovers.
The incident serves as a reminder to always be cautious and aware of your surroundings when near bridges or other structures.
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