A Bellevue youth allegedly attempted suicide by trying to jump off the I-90 East Channel Bridge, connecting Mercer Island to Bellevue. - File photo
File photo
A Bellevue youth allegedly attempted suicide by trying to jump off the I-90 East Channel Bridge, connecting Mercer Island to Bellevue.

Teen attempts suicide off I-90 bridge

By REPORTER STAFF
Mercer Island Reporter Staff
July 14, 2009 · Updated 4:34 PM 

  • 0
  • Print Story
  • Email Author
  • Letter/Editor

A Washington State Patrol Trooper saved a 16-year-old boy who was determined to end his life by jumping off the East Channel Bridge on July 13. The teenager, a resident of Bellevue, was standing on a railing of the I-90 bridge during the busy Monday morning commute.

According to press reports, the trooper had to physically pull the boy from the rail. The teenager fought with the trooper before he was taken into protective custody.

The incident began shortly after 9:30 a.m. when King County Troopers responded to reports of a suicidal subject on westbound I-90 near Bellevue, according to the Washington State Patrol. It took approximately one minute for the first trooper, Tom Zielinski, to arrive at the scene.

Zielinski observed the subject with one leg over the railing. He pulled the subject from the railing before he could jump.

While on the ground, the teenager began to fight with the trooper in an attempt to get free. After a short altercation, Zielinski was able to take him into protective custody.

The boy was transported to Harborview Medical Center for a physiological evaluation. No injuries were reported.

Contact Mercer Island Reporter Staff Reporter Staff at editor@mi-reporter.com.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.

blog comments powered by Disqus