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Tuesday, July 24, 2012 | 9:37 a.m.
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Map of Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge
Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge
Boulder City
The woman who jumped to her death Monday from the Hoover Dam bypass bridge has been identified as a Boulder City resident.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office said the deceased was Colleen Tyler, 51. The cause and manner of her death are still pending.
Metro Police responded to a call that a woman had jumped from the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge at 11:59 a.m. Monday, said Metro spokesman Marcus Martin. About 30 minutes after the call, a Tyler's body was found in the water near the base of Portal Road, Martin said.
Tyler is the fourth person to jump from the bridge, which opened in October 2010. The last suicide on the bridge occurred earlier this month when 39-year-old North Las Vegas resident Jacob Gerard Foreman jumped to his death.
Very sad. You wonder what's going thru their mind in those final hours.
I've been on the bridge and it is just too easy to jump.
I'm surprised that the area for pedestrians is still open.
It's time to make it difficult for someone to jump to their death from the bridge.
Even if they closed it to pedestrians you cant stop someone from jumping. Its sad but its reality.
You aren't going to stop the jumpers. The reality is that the best view of the bridge is from the other side of Hoover Dam on the Arizona side. While walking on the bridge you wouldn't even know you are on a bridge. It's not like the GW bridge where you have the piers, the suspension ropes, the drammatic look. From the top of the bridge you see nothing but the damn. You can see that by driving on the road below the bridge. I really don't see the attraction to climbing to the top and looking over the side. The impressive aspect of the bridge is, as I said from the other side of the Hoover damn roadway on the Arizona side.
Tragic, yes. Avoidable, unlikely. It's just sad when people get to this stage and see death as their only option.
They could easily enclose it with a strong chicken wire type fence that woudn't hurt the view that much.I've seen kids climbing on the rails.. what? yes! More deaths will happen. I don't see people jumping off the Statosphere, oh cause they thought of this ahead.
Comment removed by moderator. ALL CAPS
mikecoool says "I don't see people jumping off the Statosphere, oh cause they thought of this ahead."
Actually mike I'd guess it's because you didn't bother to do any research first.
There have been at least 5 suicides off the top of the Stratosphere DESPITE the anti-suicide precautions. So how again are they going to stop anyone who's determined to kill themselves?
What is upsetting to me is not only that they're jumping, but that they're exposing families and children to it. A tour raft full of people witnessed this last jumper (explain that to the kids). The second jumper's body was spotted floating down the river (3 weeks after he jumped) by a tourist on the water--he was reportedly pretty upset by it.
They do not realize--or care--that the choice they made may have traumatized someone else. I place no blame on the bridge designers and do not think they should be held responsible for any of this. The responsibility falls on the jumpers themselves.
This bridge has no anti suicide prevention but it could.If kids see it it, it's the designers fault. Don't think the jumpers really care.
I find it interesting that the person who wrote this article mentions that the cause and manner of the jumper's death is still pending. Really? I wonder if any of the readers wouldn't be able to determine the cause and manner. An official statement by the coroner's office really isn't necessary.
Initially, the HDR structural plans were available on the Hoover Bridge website. Upon first examination, those plans had pedestrian rail, lighting for the sidewalk, and zero suicide fence. The first question asked at the pre-construction meeting was, "Why isn't there a suicide fence?" The look of arrogance and scorn was keenly evident as the collective group of FHWA PE's stated, "We don't see the need for one."
Ahem! What do you think now fellahs?
I wonder what the Grand Canyon would look like with miles and miles of nets strung along its edge...
Blame the jumpers, not the designers. Even if the jumper doesn't "care", it's still their fault. People are going to find a way to jump if they're comitted enough. They could park their car on the south side, climb on the roof and jump from there, too.
You wouldn't want me trying to talk the person down, that's for sure. I'd me more inclined to tell them to make sure no tour groups were watching or no boats were working in the security zone before they jumped (this actually worked on one potential jumper off half dome, he didn't want to take out a climber and did not jump).