Jennygirl
04-24-2007, 02:14 PM
By Tony LaRussa
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
A man who was fished out of the Allegheny River after jumping Monday evening from the Clemente Bridge said he "did it for the thrill."
But Pittsburgh police weren't thrilled. They took Stacey C. Forrest, 40, into custody and planned to charge him with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
Police Sgt. David Krueger said Forrest could face a charge of recklessly endangering another person for putting his city River Rescue Unit saviors at risk.
Forrest, clad only in a pair of gray sweatpants and rosary beads around his neck, was not injured in the 40-foot plunge.
"I wasn't trying to hurt myself, I was just free-falling. I like the way it feels," said Forrest, who said he lives at the West North Avenue YMCA on the North Side.
"I jumped off that one the last three days," Forrest said, pointing upriver to the Andy Warhol Bridge. "I thought I'd give this one a try today."
An emergency medical technician with the River Rescue Unit said it did not receive previous reports of people jumping off city bridges in the past several days.
A passer-by called 911 at 5:34 p.m. after seeing Forrest leap into the river from the North Shore side of the bridge.
Members of the River Rescue Unit, headquartered below the Clemente Bridge, tossed Forrest a rope when he began to struggle swimming.
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
A man who was fished out of the Allegheny River after jumping Monday evening from the Clemente Bridge said he "did it for the thrill."
But Pittsburgh police weren't thrilled. They took Stacey C. Forrest, 40, into custody and planned to charge him with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
Police Sgt. David Krueger said Forrest could face a charge of recklessly endangering another person for putting his city River Rescue Unit saviors at risk.
Forrest, clad only in a pair of gray sweatpants and rosary beads around his neck, was not injured in the 40-foot plunge.
"I wasn't trying to hurt myself, I was just free-falling. I like the way it feels," said Forrest, who said he lives at the West North Avenue YMCA on the North Side.
"I jumped off that one the last three days," Forrest said, pointing upriver to the Andy Warhol Bridge. "I thought I'd give this one a try today."
An emergency medical technician with the River Rescue Unit said it did not receive previous reports of people jumping off city bridges in the past several days.
A passer-by called 911 at 5:34 p.m. after seeing Forrest leap into the river from the North Shore side of the bridge.
Members of the River Rescue Unit, headquartered below the Clemente Bridge, tossed Forrest a rope when he began to struggle swimming.