West Palm Beach – An unidentified woman was walking her bicycle off the Royal Park Bridge when it started to open. A man nearby was able to grab her as she fell, but he couldn’t hold on. She fell 50 feet to her death.
“The bridge from Lakeview Avenue in West Palm Beach to Royal Palm Way in Palm Beach is currently closed following a fatal accident involving a bicyclist on the bridge. Drivers need to use alternate routes – Quadrille Blvd. to the north or Southern Blvd. to the south to and from the barrier island while the on-scene investigation is conducted. Expect traffic delays at the alternate bridges to accommodate the diverted traffic,” the West Palm Beach Police Department said at the time of the incident Sunday night at 7 p.m.
“She was walking her bike from east to west and had almost reached the furthest point of the moveable span when it went up,” spokesman Mike Jachles said afterward. “He tried to help her but he wasn’t able to hold onto her and she fell about five to six stories below.”
At this point, it is unknown why the bridge opened when it did and with people still on it. The bridge was closed for six hours while police conducted an investigation.