NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A man jumped off the James River Bridge (JRB) to avoid being arrested after seeing state police Monday morning.
29-year-old Kelly Golden has been charged with reckless driving and is expected to be charged with eluding, a spokesperson for Virginia State Police (VSP) said.
The spokesperson said that around 8:45 a.m., state police were coordinating with a DMV officer who saw a black sedan driving recklessly in the northbound lanes of the JRB.
The officer tried to stop the vehicle, but Golden didn't stop. According to VSP, he sideswiped a Toyota vehicle and hit two other vehicles in the rear. Vehicles on the bridge were stopped at the time due to a bridge lift.
According to VSP, Golden got out of the vehicle, saw a state trooper and jumped off the south side of the bridge.
He drifted north on the river until a civilian vessel responded, located and pulled him to safety. The suspect was taken to Riverside Regional Hospital.
The drivers of the other vehicles involved weren't injured, VSP said.
VSP will conduct the crash investigation and Newport News police are at the hospital to arrest Golden on release. Golden was wanted for a felony probation violation.