Authorities discourage bridge jumping, river swimming in wake of tragedy
Authorities warn jumping from bridges into the Huron River is not safe or legal. Here, an Ypsilanti resident jumps into the water near Barton Nature Area in this 2012 file photo.
Jeffrey Smith | AnnArbor.com file photo
Bridge jumping and swimming in the Huron River are considered summertime rituals by some in the Ann Arbor area.
It’s not uncommon on a hot and sunny day to see young folks leaping from railroad trestles at places like Argo Pond and Bandemer Park in Ann Arbor and at river crossings throughout the county, officials said.
But in the aftermath of the drowning death Sunday of a 21-year-old Pittsfield Township man, officials are warning that river swimming and especially bridge jumping can be dangerous — and even illegal.
“It’s the thrill of the activity that draws people to it,” said Corporal Robert Pasternak who supervises the Marine Division of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office. “People want to test themselves and their own limits.”
What many people don’t realize is that jumping off bridges is is illegal.
“Bridge jumping is discouraged on every level,” Pasternak said. “Some people feel it’s a rite of passage for the younger generation. Anyone who suggests that is ill advised. It could quite possibly lead to a fatality as demonstrated by recent (events).”
Pasternak was referring to the death of Donovan Gerard Hyter, who drowned early Sunday morning while bridge jumping from a trestle over the Huron in Superior Township just north of Ypsilanti.
Hyter and a couple of friends jumped into the river east of Superior Road around 4:52 a.m. Sunday, and his body was recovered by sheriff’s officials about 5:15 p.m. Monday. Officials continue to investigate the drowning. Family members remembered the 2010 Huron High School graduate as an authentic and loving man in a recent AnnArbor.com story.
Illegal thrills
There are many legal implications to sneaking out on to a bridge and simply jumping off. Just being on a railroad bridge is against a state law, said Ann Arbor city attorney Bob West.
“It says you can’t walk on railroad tracks,” he said. “Walking on the tracks puts you in violation,”
Violating the Railroad Code of 1993 is a misdemeanor punishable by 30 days in jail and/or $100 fine.
It could also be trespassing, whether it’s on railroad property or, in the case of the M-14 bridge that goes over the river, the Michigan Department of Transportation. Pasternak said his officers had issued “a couple dozen” trespassing citations last summer related to bridge jumping. He said even if railroad tracks run through public land like a park, the rails, the gravel and ties are private property.
Beyond trespassing, jumping off a public bridge is in itself a misdemeanor, Pasternak said.
Police agencies agree the laws are not the easiest to enforce.
Lt. Renee Bush of the Ann Arbor Police Department said officers have responded to a few calls at Bandemer Park this summer, but the young people are usually gone by the time police arrive.
Pasternak said because many of the bridge jumping locations are secluded and not accessible by road, officers have a hard time catching people on a day-to-day patrolling basis.
“Of the 100 bridge jumpers, we might only know of one or two,” he said.
Dangerous waters
Bridge jumping isn’t the only thing officials warn against, however: Even swimming in the river throughout the county is discouraged.
“I would strongly suggest to not swim in the Huron River because the currents are so unpredictable,” said Ypsilanti police Sgt. Thomas Eberts.
Two summers ago, 29-year-old Tirail Antquan Martin drowned near Ypsilanti’s Riverside Park when he got swept up in the current after chasing a child’s lost shoe in the river.
Pasternak said swimming in the river is discouraged because of unpredictable currents, temperatures and depths, adding that the “the conditions of the river are ever-changing.”
The undertow and lack of visibility in the river water is sometimes enough to affect even the most experienced swimmer.
“Imagine swimming in pea soup or chocolate milk,” Pasternak said about how visibility could be a concern if a swimmer was pulled under.
Authorities also urge caution at some of the popular inland lake beaches in the county. Authorities say people should never swim alone and to stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties, where permanent rip currents often exist.
Drowning prevention
Hyter’s death is the first drowning of the summer. No drowning deaths were reported last summer, Pasternak said.
“I’m pretty proud of that,” he added.
Joyce Williams of Huron Valley Ambulance said paramedics were called to two locations last summer for possible drowning incidents.
In May, a 10-year-old boy who was part of a class trip nearly drowned but was saved at Independence Lake in Webster Township. Then on June 21, ambulances were dispatched to the 8000 block of Carpenter Road in York Township for a 3-year-old found face down in a swimming pool. The child was taken to University of Michigan Hospital in unstable condition, but ultimately survived.
Pasternak mostly urges people to use common sense when swimming.
“You hope people have common sense," he said. "Sometimes common sense is overruled by Mother Nature.”
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
jpud
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 1:35 a.m.
In separate news, authorities close Ann Arbor middle school pools where students could learn to swim. Learning to swim well can potentially avert drowning tragedies later in life.
snapshot
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 8:54 p.m.
Just no place for being a "kid" anymore. Everything is "illegal" So if a kid is "caught" jumping are you going to ruin his life by convicting him of a felony? What about all the kids who have been injured playing those organized sports like football? We going to make those dangerous activities "illegal" too? Skiing, skating, biking, hiking, rock climbing, mountain climbing, driving? Kids are supposed to get an hour of exercise a day to be healthy but our government protectors make everything "illegal". Just once I'd like to see our officials put laws into place to protect us from THEM.
joejoeblow
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 2:13 a.m.
Think of those killed in the ocean. Swimming in general should be illegal.
jns131
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 4:18 p.m.
So if everyone is jumping off bridges is it ok to do so yourself? Just a thought.
George Gaston
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 4:35 a.m.
Remember, this is the water that comes out of tap in Ann Arbor. The water we drink in Ann Arbor comes from of the Huron River.
jcj
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 11:56 a.m.
Not all of it. But about 85% of it.
julieswhimsies
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 4:14 a.m.
A river is NOT a lake. There are currents, undertow, and submerged rocks and trees. Use common sense.
joejoeblow
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 2:09 a.m.
The comments in this article are from a group of older people who would never do this in the first place, yet seem to have an opinion that is .... gasp .... against it! Guess humans should never get in the water, something so dangerous as swimming in a river must be evil and should be illegal. Sorry the guy died, that sucks. But most of us don't have that problem.
joejoeblow
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 2:13 a.m.
I think you guys made my point. I'd rather have young people get there kicks out of jumping into a river than smoking crack and being violent. This is clean fun and something tragic happened. Put it this way, are people against swimming in the ocean? No? More people die in oceans than rivers.
julieswhimsies
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 4:17 a.m.
I am 62 years old...and a very accomplished swimmer. The only time I will jump into a river is to save a life. Generally, rivers are generally quite polluted in SE Michigan. Ew.
jcj
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 2:41 a.m.
"people who would never do this in the first place" There is a reason "older people" would never do this.Its called common sense! Most people that live long enough have this quality.
hmsp
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 1:05 a.m.
@ jsusan036 re leg injury/ rescue at Delhi: I remember taking advantage of flood levels on the Huron around 20 years ago or so, when we met up with a bunch of UM's RSCK (Raw Strength and Courage Kayak) Club members. I had just eddied out mid-rapids in my solo canoe (half the kayaker's paddle, but twice the man, as they say!), and pulled up onto the central island to go back up to the top, and try another section of the drop. As I pulled my canoe over the flooded island, I stepped smack in the middle of the bottom half of a quart beer bottle, shredding the bottom and both sides of my left foot. By the time I made it down to the take-out, the water in my bilge looked like 100% blood, a quarter of a boat's worth, and a couple of the kayakers turned a bit green. My paddling partner was, though (and still is!), solid as a rock -- he quickly loaded our boats by himself, tied them down, and took me to St Joe's, where, after about 6 hours, I finally got a MEGA regimen of antibiotics -- the Doc's were horrified just thinking of the toxic soup that the Huron River is at flood levels! I still paddle at flood stage every chance I get, but I try to stay upstream of Honey, and especially Allen, Creeks.
amlive
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 10:49 p.m.
I spoke with rescue personnel hauling away an extremely inebriated young man who nearly drown in Gallup Pond today. One of the things I asked was whether they were able to enforce water safety regulations, but it seems that must be the domain of the county Sheriff and city authorities only serve in rescues. The reason I asked was because in several hours on the river today (Argo and Gallup ponds and between), I saw several stand up paddle boards and amount them only one with a PFD on board. Unless they are using these boards in a designated swim or surf zone, they are legally required to at least have one on board (the smart paddlers would actually wear them). In the hundreds of hours I've spent paddling on the Huron, I can only think of once that I've seen a Sheriff's boat on the water. I realize they have a lot more all-sports all-drunk waters to patrol, but with the increased use of our waters in recent years (it has certainly increased noticeably), maybe a few weekends every summer they could pop in and make their rounds on the ponds. I certainly would welcome it. There are a lot of foolish and/or cocky folks out there who could use a reminder about safety rules, and right now there is absolutely no one present to do this.
JRW
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 10:13 p.m.
No one is suggesting that young people avoid swimming in the summer, as some poster are suggesting. What commentors are saying is that the Huron River is polluted and full of hazards under the water (boulders and tree stumps). It's not a good choice for swimming. Better swimming choices are lakes with swimming beaches and pools. The river is great for kayaking, canoeing and for floating down on large tubes. Swimming and jumping off of bridges into the river? No. It's a dangerous activity and the latest drowning makes the point.
81wolverine
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 9:55 p.m.
One time while rowing the AA Rowing Club, our 8-rower shell approached one of these bridges with some dumb kids jumping off of it into the river. They ignored the fact our boat was coming down the river fast and could badly hurt one of them if a collision occurred. Our experienced coxswain screamed at them to get out of the way using the speakers in the boat. Fortunately, no accident happened - that time. But, there needs to be more and better warning signs near these bridges, as well as better parenting to educate their kids of the dangers this type of behavior.
HONDO
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 5:33 p.m.
Eww! Swimming in yuck! Floating on top, ok. They use to jump of the 23/HR bridge! Silly people. EWW!
joejoeblow
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 5:32 p.m.
The comments in this article are from a group of older people who would never do this in the first place, yet seem to have an opinion that is .... gasp .... against it! Guess humans should never get in the water, something so dangerous as swimming in a river must be evil and should be illegal. Sorry the guy died, that sucks. But most of us don't have that problem.
jcj
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 9:40 p.m.
Those"older" people have the benefit of experience.I did plenty of foolish things when I was younger.Looking back I can see how lucky I was. Now I try to limit the chances I take to things that will not cost me my life. It is a selfish attitude that makes many younger people to risk their lives. Ever give a thought to how your parents might suffer because of your foolish risk taking? And swimming in the river is not like jumping off a bridge. Why do you suppose their is a saying "if your friends jumped off a bridge..." Because its foolish!
arborani
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 6:30 p.m.
Maybe that's how they achieved "older"??
a2citizen
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 6 p.m.
I think the "older people who would never do this in the first place" are actually "older people who passed on the opportunity to do it years ago". My reasons for never having done it are closer to Hondo's comment directly below.
nickcarraweigh
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 5:08 p.m.
There are really two kinds of people. There are those who jump off bridges into rivers, and those who cringe at the very idea. It's sort of like the id and the ego, or God and man at Yale or something. It's deep.
KMHall
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 6:10 p.m.
There's something in between called common sense.
amlive
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 4:21 p.m.
I am a staunch advocate of water safety education, but I must say I feel that discouraging swimming in the river at all may go so far as to lessen the effectiveness of the warnings. Mix good, sound, and legal warnings together with over-reactive overcautious 'stay-inside-your-bubble" advice, and it can lessen the impact of the most important warnings. Don't jump off bridges. Even if accessing the bridges were legal, ask someone who has ever dove or snorkeled rivers like this if they would do it after seeing what trash and hazards lie on the bottom, and their accounts would likely make you fear it a bit more. Don't swim for a day or two after a rain, especially below Allen Creek, and even Honey Creek can bring some nasty runoff. Never swim alone. Simple enough. Scout areas you're not extremely familiar with. Check the conditions right here - http://waterdata.usgs.gov/MI/nwis/uv?site_no=04174500 If the flow is over 600cfs, be careful. Over 1000cfs, be very careful. 1500-2000cfs and up, usually best not to go in at all. That's not just volume, but an incredible amount of sheer power that can sweep you off your feet, pull you from your grasp, and pin you against obstacles you won't be able to break free from. And remember the most important choice you can make when canoeing, kayaking, swimming, etc, is the go or no-go choice. Ironically, the more experienced and skilled a person is, the more likely they may be to choose no-go in harsh or questionable conditions. There's a good lesson to be learned from that. Be safe, follow the rules, always wear your PFD in a boat, and if you ever get that little tingling that says 'maybe I shouldn't', for God's sake listen to it!
Greg
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 2:22 p.m.
For those who want perfect safety for themselves and others -- stay home. You will still die, but likely of boredom.
KMHall
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 6:09 p.m.
You can have a lot of fun while remaining sensible and recognizing dangerous conditions.
Matt Cooper
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 2:42 p.m.
Or you could do as a former patient of mine did many years ago and go bridge-diving, hit an unseen underwater object and break your neck at the level of the C2-3 spine and end up a quadriplegic paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of your life. Not a pretty way to live, or die. Use some common sense.
jsusan036
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 2:09 p.m.
… and even then with canoes, kayaks and rafts, the public should still be aware that the river is running high and fast right now, especially due to the rain we have had. We watched an elaborate rescue effort last night at the Delhi Bridge. A small group of teens were rafting in two separate rafts and one passenger in one of the rafts was tossed from her raft into the fast moving current. The couple in one of the rafts ended up being stranded on one of the little islands of trees. She received a leg injury in the process. Not wanting her to be pulled through the dirty water with such a gash on her leg, the fire department ended up calling in an Ann Arbor Twp. Fire ladder truck so they could retrieve them from the island. It was quite the rescue to watch. I believe Scio Twp. Fire was called in first, but when it was decided a ladder truck would be most useful, Ann Arbor Twp. Fire was called in. There were approximately 4-5 fire trucks and 2 ambulances at the scene. I'm glad the kids were ultimately ok. The rescue team did a wonderful job. I'm sure it was tricky at the time, it was getting quite dark by then and the bugs and mosquitos were beginning to swarm like crazy. I haven't seen anything written up on this yet in A2.com, but then again, it happened quite late last night. I'm sure an article will eventually show up. But just a reminder…. Even in the canoes, rafts and kayaks, the river right now is really moving and everyone should make sure to have their life jackets with them!
mkm17
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 2 p.m.
Thank you for this timely article. When a drowning or other tragedy occurs, annarbor.com readers vote "down" comments about safety and vote "up" comments offering thoughts and prayers to the deceased and their family. I've never quite understood this. If one person's life can be saved by wearing a seat belt, life jacket, or by not unlawfully jumping from a trestle, wouldn't it be worth it to make such cautionary comments right away?
mkm17
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 8:15 p.m.
Excellent point, KMHall
KMHall
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 6:07 p.m.
It's a fine line between inappropriate scolding and fair warning.
JRW
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 1:08 p.m.
Swimming in the Huron River is a bad idea on all levels, setting aside the danger of jumping from bridges and overpasses. The river is polluted with runoff and the bottom is full of tree stumps, rocks and slime. Stick to the kayaks and canoes and enjoy the river.
JRW
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 1:06 p.m.
We've seen people jumping from the bridges at Gallup Park in AA, and from the walkways that span the river. All summer long. The parks need a patrol on bikes on a regular basis in the summer. Telling people it's illegal won't stop stupid behavior.
Jack Gladney
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 1:32 a.m.
"Telling people it's illegal won't stop stupid behavior." Yep, that's right. Natural selection and physics take care of things after they are warned.
James
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 12:49 p.m.
I know a gal who jumped many years ago off the Argo trestle (isn't it a trestle,not a bridge?...) Her back is still giving her issues,as she severely injured it due to an unseen submerged uprooted tree...and just an aside- the Argo dam is so close to that trestle/bridge...has anyone walked across it and marveled how powerful water can be?Spooky stuff.