The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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July 2, 2009

Police halt would-be New River Gorge Bridge jumper

Amelia A. Pridemore

Police officers and park rangers stopped an Illinois man who tried to jump off the New River Gorge Bridge early Thursday morning, first by negotiating with him and then by subduing him with a TASER, authorities said.

A passing motorist spotted the man about 7 a.m., Fayette County Sheriff Steve Kessler said. Cpls. T.N. Mooney and S.M. Gray and Fayetteville police Patrolman H.N. Vest responded.

Mooney saw a man, an Illinois resident believed to be in his 40s, climb onto the bridge railing, Kessler said. The man threatened to jump if anyone tried to approach him. Mooney backed off and tried to talk to the man. Gray, meanwhile, called for the Fayetteville police and fire departments. All northbound traffic on the bridge was stopped to protect officers handling the situation. Members of the sheriff’s department’s crisis negotiations unit were also called.

About 8 a.m., the crisis negotiators and National Park Service rangers established a dialog with the man, Kessler said. While distracting the man, a NPS ranger deployed a TASER to subdue him. Deputies and rangers then pulled the man away from the bridge rail and handcuffed him.

The man was taken to Plateau Medical Center in Oak Hill for treatment of minor injuries, Kessler said. A petition seeking mental health assistance for the man was filed with the Fayette County circuit clerk’s office. Because of his condition, his identity was not released.

NPS Chief Ranger Gary Hartley said rangers are trained to use TASERs when circumstances arise in the field that make it necessary — such as keeping people from hurting themselves and others. In this case, he believes the TASER use was appropriate.

Kessler praised all personnel involved.

“Cpl. Mooney did an excellent job of talking with this individual and stabilizing the scene until the crisis negotiators could arrive at the scene,” he said. “The sheriff’s office and the National Park Service rangers assigned to the New River Gorge National River enjoy an excellent working partnership.

Several rangers are trained in crisis negotiation techniques and work closely with our county crisis negotiations team.

“This is the second incident in recent months where a park ranger has been able to deploy a TASER to bring an incident on the bridge to a safe conclusion.”

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com

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