Sandy MaloneFort Myers, FL – A Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) helicopter captured video of the arrest of a suspect who jumped off a bridge on Saturday and was rescued by authorities from the water (video below).
The incident began just before midnight on Oct. 29 when sheriff’s deputies tried to stop a stolen van they spotted on Bayshore Road , LCSO said in a statement posted to its official Facebook page.
The suspect vehicle driven by 34-year-old Bryan Gray fled the scene westbound toward U.S. 41.
The sheriff’s department said its helicopter arrived on the scene just before Gray lost control of the vehicle.
It filmed the scene from the air as the van slammed into the concrete barrier on the side of the highway.
The video showed that when the van finally came to a stop, Gray jumped out of it and headed for the side of the bridge.
He climbed over the railing and stood there a moment as if hesitating.
But the video showed that when Gray saw a police vehicle stop and an officer get out, he dove from the side of the bridge down into the waters of the Caloosahatchee River.
The helicopter kept an eye on Gray as he swam to one of the bridge supports and grabbed on.
LCSO said the Fort Myers Police Department’s Marine Unit quickly responded to the scene and officers dragged Gray out of the water and took him into custody.
Gray was charged with grand theft auto and fleeing and eluding, according to the LCSO statement.
Watch the incident unfold in the video below:
Holly Matkin
