Woman Falls to Her Death After Drawbridge Opened as She Crossed

A woman in West Palm Beach, Florida fell to her death on Sunday, after a drawbridge was raised as she walked across it with her bike, WPTV reports.

Authorities have launched an investigation after the woman fell through a gap in the road of the Royal Park Bridge, which connects Palm Beach to West Palm Beach. According to the West Palm Beach police, the individual has been described as “an older woman,” but she has yet to be publicly identified. 

Following the incident, the Royal Park was closed for just under six hours. She was just ten feet away from making it to the other end of the bridge when it raised, authorities added. Surveillance video is currently being assessed to determine how the death happened. The bridge is one of three bridges connecting Palm Beach with West Palm Beach, and according to bicycle safety advocates, it’s the main link for many pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

“The woman tried to hang on. There was a bystander nearby who tried to help her, but tragically she fell five or six stories below where she died landing on concrete,” said Mike Jachles, spokesperson for the West Palm Beach police. “There is a bridge tender, and that bridge tender has certain safety protocols to follow, specific safety protocols … that includes lowering of the gates for the vehicles, lowering of the gates for the pedestrians, and making several visual confirmations that there is nobody at either of the spans or past those gates.”