Crime & Safety
Update: Man Dies in Apparent Suicide Jump from Tappan Zee Bridge
Body recovered at bridge pier by volunteer firefighters; one Tarrytown firefighter treated at Phelps after going into the water.
Editor's Note: article updated at 10:18 a.m.
A man jumped to his death from the Tappan Zee Bridge early Friday morning in an apparent suicide, according to police.
State Police discovered an unoccupied car on the southbound side of the center span about 4 a.m., and rescue crews were called out to investigate a possible jumper.
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Volunteer firefighters operating from rescue boats on the Hudson River discovered the victim on a bridge pier on the Westchester side of the bridge. Nyack volunteer firefighters were the first to reach the scene with their rescue boat.
Tarrytown Police Lieutenant William Herguth reported that at 4:18 a.m. marine units established operation as a "recovery" rather than a "rescue." Police said the body was removed and taken ashore in Tarrytown and then taken to the Westchester County Medical Examiner's Office.
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Central Nyack Fire Chief Mike Healy said firefighters performed CPR on the victim as he was being transported by boat to the shore in Westchester.
The emergency response efforts included: Westchester County Department of Emergency Services; Tarrytown and Irvington Marine Units; Nyack and Piermont fire department rescue boats; Rockland County paramedics; Tarrytown and Greenburgh EMS; New York State Police and Tarrytown Police.
The age and identity of the victim were not yet available. Tarrytown's new fire chief, Eugene Gasparre, sworn in only April 6, said the identity of the victim was known but couldn't yet be released as all information was on "lock-down" with the State Police.
During the recovery effort, a Tarrytown firefighter slipped from the bridge pier and fell into the river. Andrew Wilgermein was transported by ambulance to to be evaluated because of the temperature of the water, Herguth reported.
At 10:25 a.m., Phelps spokesperson Tina Dorfman reported that Wilgermein had been treated and released.
"It's always dangerous going out onto the river," Gasparre said. An event like this in the early morning hours, he said, "catches you by surprise."
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