FMPD: Man involved in crash jumps into river to avoid arrest

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FORT MYERS, Fla.- A man who ran from the scene of a single-vehicle crash on the Caloosahatchee Bridge and jumped into the river below is now under arrest, said the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD).

Witnesses say the man crashed his car just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday and left the scene, running northbound across the bridge. When they stopped to try and help the man, the suspect attempted breaking into the car.

“We seen a guy on the side, kinda trying to run I guess,” said Caitlin Cobb. “Then we stopped, passed him a little to see if he was okay, like we were going to ask him if he was okay. Then he punched through our window once we stopped and then after that he just jumped off the bridge.”

When officers spotted the man, police say he jumped into the river to avoid arrest.

A Fort Myers Police marine unit found the man hanging onto a bridge support. The suspect was taken into custody as FMPD continues investigating.

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