A bicyclist fell to her demise when a drawbridge connecting Palm Seaside to the Florida mainland started rising earlier than she might attain the opposite facet. A bystander tried to drag her to security however misplaced his grip, officers stated. (Meghan McCarthy/The Palm Seaside Publish by way of AP)
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. --
A bicyclist fell to her demise when a drawbridge connecting Palm Seaside to the Florida mainland started rising earlier than she might attain the opposite facet. A bystander tried to drag her to security however misplaced his grip, officers stated.
The lady was strolling her bicycle towards West Palm Seaside on Sunday afternoon and was inside 10 toes (3 meters) of the barrier arms that halt visitors when the drawbridge began to maneuver, police instructed information shops.
"The lady tried to hold on. There was a bystander close by who tried to assist her, however tragically she fell 5 or 6 tales beneath the place she died touchdown on concrete," West Palm Seaside police spokesman Mike Jachles stated.
Why the bridge tender started elevating the span earlier than it was cleared of pedestrians will probably be a spotlight of the investigation, Jachles stated. The bridge tender was described as "distraught," the Palm Seaside Publish reported.
The Florida Division of Transportation maintains the bridge, however the bridge tenders are staffed by a personal state contractor.
"Palm Seaside is accessible solely by three bridges and that is the primary bridge, so it's totally utilized by cyclists," bicycle security advocate Juan Orellana instructed West Palm Seaside tv station WPTV.
The bridge is supplied with bells and whistles to alert drivers and pedestrians that the drawbridge goes up.
"For one factor you'll hear the bell earlier than the arms go down, so once you hear the bell you gotta get out of the way in which earlier than the bridge goes up," he stated.
The lady's title has not been launched. The bridge was closed for greater than six hours after the accident.
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