Man rescued from Rappahannock River at Chatham Bridge

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Rescue teams help a man who they say jumped from the Chatham Bridge into the Rappahannock River on Wednesday. Photo by Reza A. Marvashti

At the scene, Maj. David Decatur of the Stafford Sheriff’s Office told fredericksburg.com the 23-year-old man attempted to jump off the bridge Wednesday evening, but fell off the rail to the sidewalk and into the road. Then he took off running and jumped onto the rail again and leaped into the water.

Decatur said the man floated east and a bystander and Deputy Kirk McBride went into the water to attempt to rescue the man.

He said there was an attempt to launch a boat from the City Dock in Fredericksburg, but the water was too low.

The man was transported to Mary Washington Hospital and has severe injuries, Decatur said.

Fire and Rescue units from Falmouth, Berea, Stafford, White Oak, Medic 11 and Fredericksburg Fire and Rescue responded, as did the Stafford Sheriff’s Office.

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Stafford and Fredericksburg fire and rescue units  were at the Chatham Bridge Wednesday evening pulling a man from the Rappahannock River who apparently had jumped from the bridge, officials said.

Stafford fire and rescue spokesman Mark Doyle said the man was being lifted from the river and would be transported to Mary Washington Hospital. He said the man was conscious and alert but did have some injuries.

The bridge was closed to traffic shortly after 6 p.m. as rescue workers searched the waters.

Stafford County officials issued an alert online advising that the bridge was closed.

Doyle said the  lack of rainfall recently has made the  river shallow in that area.  Also, the river was at low tide around 6 p.m. Wednesday.

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