Community Corner

Police Identify Naked Jumpers

Man, woman who jumped from Tappan Zee Bridge were from Ithaca, believed to be living together

unclothed yesterday morning has been identified.

Alfa Choice, a 29-year-old-woman, died after the jump. Christopher Shears, 44, survived the plunge. Police said both are from Ithaca and had ties to the Bronx. It is believed they were living together, but their connection is still under investigation, authorities added.

Shears is still believed to be in poor shape. "Last we heard he was still critical condition at ," said John Antonelli, a zone sergeant with New York State Police.

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Online records indicate that Alfa Choice was at some point a teacher at the Bronx High School of Science. She is not listed as a current staff member, and when the school was contacted, administrators refused to comment or confirm that Choice had been employed at the school.

The pair jumped from the span at around 9:15 a.m. Tuesday morning. "They climbed over their vehicle and onto the barrier and climbed the chain-link fence and on to a work platform that was there for construction," Antonelli explained. "From that platform, they utilized a large toolbox to jump."

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The car they were driving was a gray 2003 Chevy Suburban. The boat that retrieved them from the water belonged to a contractor who was working at the scene.

Choice was pronounced dead by Rockland County Paramedics at 9:27 a.m. Authorities do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved, although no toxicology results have been released.

Antonelli would like the public to be aware of the options for people who may be distraught and feel the need to commit suicide.

"It would be good for people to know the availability of the suicide prevention phone on the bridge, and even before people think about taking their lives to seek help," he said.

This is the third incident this year involving jumpers from the bridge. The state has tried to prevent people from making attempts by installing distress phones, along the span, at a cost of more than $5 million.


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