By E. CURTIS HANNA
Staff Writer
FOXBURG – The body of a Parker-area man who jumped from the Foxburg Bridge on Thursday night, March 24, was found mid-day March 25, in the Allegheny River by dive teams.
Clarion County coroner Terry Shaffer identified the man as William D. Kelly, 26, of Doc Walker Road just outside Parker in Clarion County.
The body was recovered about 12:30 p.m., Parker fire chief Bill Bartley said.
A second male who jumped from the bridge with Kelly about 7:40 p.m. Thursday was able to swim safely to shore. He has not been identified.
Shaffer ruled the cause of Kelly’s death as accidental drowning. He said the chilly river temperature of about 43 degrees Thursday evening was a likely contributing factor in Kelly’s death.
“It’s just so tragic,” Shaffer said.
Volunteer firefighters were dispatched from Parker City, St. Petersburg and Emlenton. Also assisting at the scene were water rescue teams from Parker City, Emlenton and Butler, as well as Emlenton Ambulance.
Clarion state police were in charge of the investigation.
Parker Volunteer Fire Department, led by first assistant chief Rick Amsler, coordinated the rescue efforts.
Responders were originally told of one jumper. But when they arrived they learned of the surviving jumper, who apparently was not seriously injured.
After the jumpers hit the 14-to-28-feet-deep water, they both began swimming for shore.
One of the two jumpers just stopped in the water and apparently went under.
Rescue efforts continued for about 90 minutes until about 9:30 p.m. Darkness had made it impossible to continue.
Dive teams joined in the search Friday morning, which was now a recovery effort.
“The dive teams utilized sonar and an underwater camera,” Bartley said. “They received a couple hits that turned out to be a tree and a large rock.”
Bartley said there was a big dip, like a hole under the water, near where the jumpers hit the river.
Divers continued to search until about 10:45 a.m. before needing a break from the 48-degree water.
On shore they discussed how they would proceed, using the underwater imaging.
As they continued using sonar, they had three hits in the same spot and dropped the camera into the water.
“We could see it was a body,” said Bartley. “The divers went down and the body was recovered in about one minute.”