Teen survives after jumping off Manette Bridge

The victim has a number of broken bones and was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle

BREMERTON — A teenage boy jumped off the Manette Bridge Wednesday morning, surviving after landing on the beach below, authorities said.

At 9:20 a.m., the Bremerton Fire Department was dispatched to the bridge on a report of an individual who went over the railing, landing on the sand on the downtown side of the bridge.

“It appears as though he jumped,” John Payne, Bremerton Battalion Chief, said.

A relative of the teen, who wished to not be identified, said he was texting his grandmother just before he jumped. They called 911 and were able to determine the teen’s location via his cell phone.

Emergency response crews and a Navy boat made their way towards the beach and transported the teen to Harrison Bremerton Medical Center before he was eventually airlifted to Seattle.

The victim has very serious injuries and broken bones in his upper legs, lower legs, ankles and feet, Payne said. The teen was conscious and responsive while being treated by responders. Payne said he would not be surprised if there were additional injuries internally that were less immediately noticeable than the numerous broken bones, but that would be determined by doctors at Harborview.

“We treat that anyway,” Payne said. “Those were the obvious injuries. What else they find when they get him over to Harborview is yet to be determined.”

Update: This story has been updated to reflect additional information provided by a relative of the teen, including the fact that he was texting his grandmother just before the incident and not his brother.

— Mark Krulish is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. He can be reached at mkrulish@soundpublishing.com.