Man saved after leap from bridge in Polson

POLSON — Law enforcement officials rescued a man from Flathead Lake on Wednesday afternoon after he jumped from the Polson Armed Forces Memorial Bridge.

Officers responded to the call around 4:45 p.m. Polson Police officer Chris Wright located the man in the water from the center of the bridge, Polson Police Department Chief Doug Chase said.

Struggling to stay afloat, the man had his head under water, Chase said.

Three officers were forced to swim from the Riverside Park shore to retrieve the man, who did not respond to calls to swim back to shore.

Rescue workers pulled the man to shore from nearly 30 yards out on a rescue stretcher. He was given CPR before being loaded into an ambulance.

At press time, Chase said he believed the man was alive, but did not know if his legs had been injured in the jump.

His name has not been released.

Chase, Polson Police Sgt. Wade Nash and tribal officer Orinso Walker were among the rescuers in the water.

Tribal Law Enforcement, Polson Police, Lake County Sheriff’s Office officials, Polson Fire Department, Polson Ambulance, search and rescue members and tribal fish and game wardens responded.

Rescue boats were called, but not used.

Chase applauded another “tremendous, coordinated effort” by the agencies that responded.

Less than two weeks ago, Wright helped coax down a woman threatening to jump off the bridge. Polson Assistant Chief John Stevens assisted in that rescue.

Stevens said that in his 21 years of service in Polson, that was the first time he had seen someone attempting to jump off the bridge to harm themselves. Stevens was one of the first on the scene and worked with Wright to get into position to grab the woman before she could jump.