Search ends for latest bridge jumper

A 44-year-old Puyallup woman is believed to have committed suicide Sunday night by jumping from the Deception Pass bridge.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., Island County Sheriff Mark Brown said a person noticed a woman standing on the bridge and became suspicious. When someone went to check on her, she couldn't be found.

Sheriff Sgt. Mike Beech said the woman's car was recovered and a note was found.

"It is presumed she jumped from the bridge," Beech said.

North Whidbey Fire and Rescue Chief Marv Koorn said personnel searched the waters around the bridge until 4:00 Monday morning. In addition to about a dozen firefighters, a Coast Guard boat and helicopter, sheriff's deputies and a vessel from Marine Services in Cornet Bay also assisted with the search.

Capt. John Aydelotte with Marine Services said "it was a dark and stormy night," which impeded the search, although overall the search operation went smoothly. "We had quite a fleet, it was a good team effort," he said. He works with North Whidbey Fire and Rescue.

Monday morning, Brown said two sheriff's deputies riding waverunners, continued the search. The deputies stopped their search later in the day.

Beech said a body hasn't been recovered.

He didn't provide the woman's name and said that the Sunday evening incident continues to be an ongoing investigation.

Earlier this year, on Feb. 11, a 57-year-old Snohomish woman was killed when she jumped from the bridge.

Contact Whidbey News Times Staff reporter Nathan Whalen at nwhalen@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5058.

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