Jumper just missed boat

SANDPOINT — Bonner County sheriff’s officials say a man came within inches of grave injury or worse in a foolhardy jump from the Bridge Street Bridge on Tuesday evening.

The man leaped from the north side of the bridge just as a sheriff’s marine patrol vessel was passing under the span headed north up Sand Creek, coming perilously close to the bow of the boat.

“He came right down — just a blur — right in front of the boat,” said marine patrol Capt. Dan Albanese, who was at the helm during the 7 p.m. incident.

Albanese said he quickly shifted the boat into reverse to avoid hitting the man, who swam off, repeatedly saying, “Sorry, man.”

The suspect, who appeared to be in his 20s, scampered up the west side of the creek, conversed briefly with somebody on The Loading Dock deck and left the scene in a vehicle.

Albanese believes the jumper was unaware of the patrol boat due to the angle it approached from. The patrol boats are equipped with two outboard motors, although only one is engaged on patrols and it’s barely audible when running at a no-wake speed.

“I don’t think he really knew we were there,” said Albanese.

If the boat had been traveling a little bit faster because of a tailwind, for instance, Albanese figures things would have turned out quite badly for the jumper. The patrol boats’ decks and railings are unforgiving, even more so if a 15-foot fall from a bridge is involved.

“If it would have been a little different,” Albanese said, “he would have landed right on top of this boat.”

City codes forbid jumping from bridges and trestles, and violators face an infraction. A sign advising pedestrians of the prohibition is posted in the exact spot where the man jumped from.

Marine patrol Sgt. Ron Raiha said jumping from other spans in the county is also prohibited, not to mention dangerous.

The Spokane International Railroad Bridge across the Pend Oreille River near Dover is frequented by jumpers, but there are few places of safe refuge on the span if a train is passing through. The supports beneath the Highway 200 bridge over the boat basin at Hope sometimes teems with so many swimmers it looks like a jungle gym, although the consequences can be dire if somebody loses their grip or footing.

Raiha said he’s lost count of the number of times he’s seen somebody nearly kill themselves leaping from a bridge.

“I have story after story after story,” he said.