Video sheds new light on bridge death of 77-year-old man

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Four months ago, a man fell to his death from a Downtown Milwaukee bridge.

Now, for the first time, we are hearing what witnesses told police.

Police interviewed witnesses in the hour after the tragic accident, and as you will see, even strangers left that day with broken hearts.

Police pulled on scene fast. The Kilbourn Avenue draw bridge still up. Sensitive video has been covered out for respect of the victim.

"Well let's start CPR, roll him over. Roll him over, start CPR," said one officer.

As medics tried to revive 77-year-old Richard Dujardin, the bridge prevented his wife from being at his side.

"Well she was trapped yea, the bridge was up so when the squads screamed over I think she was still on the east side of the bridge and he was already sliding off down the west side and unfortunately perished," said the officer.

The couple was visiting from Rhode Island and walking to church Aug. 15. The family says Dujardin was hard of hearing.

"And I'm like sir, come back and he didn't. I don't know if he couldn't hear," said one witness.

Downtown Milwaukee at noon saw a number of people out like Aimee Gordon.

"I got up and I ran, I was like screaming at him like sir, sir, stop," said Gordon.

It's clear, seeing Dujardin fall some 70 feet to his death left a number of witnesses visibly shaken.

"Saw him fall. You did? Yea.  By the time I got here he was already up on the bridge holding on. I saw all the pedestrians standing underneath the bridge like, everybody looked really panicked," said the witness.

Bystanders watching in terror -- the only thing they could do.

Another witness said, "And they kept encouraging him hold on, hold on, hold on and then when it went like this."

From surveillance, police put together a time line. At 12:05 and 36 seconds, Dujardin is on the bridge. Ten seconds later, the opposite end gate goes down. At 12:06 and 19 seconds, the bridge starts going up.

Another witness said, "So we're walking. There's an older gentleman in front of us. All of a sudden he goes because that's not down yet, but as he walks past it, it then beep beeps and then it comes down."

Family say Dujardin's birthday was yesterday. He would've turned 78.