Officer jumps off Causeway to save driver who drove off bridge A pickup truck went over the side of the southbound Lake Pontchartrain Causeway prompting renewed calls for safety upgrades on the bridge. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT O DID NOT HESITATE FOR ONEMOMENT TO GO INTO THE WATER.YOU ARE STILL WET.>> YES, SIR.I CAME OUT OF THE WATER NOT EVEN10 MINUTES AGO.HEATH: CAUSEWAY POLICE CORPORALMIKEL MELTON, WENT INTO LAKEPONTCHARTRAIN WITHOUT HESITATIONTO HELP THE DRIVER OF THISTRUCK, THE VEHICLE PLUNGED OVERTHE SIDE OF THE SOUTHBOUND CAUSEWAY BRIDGE, AS ANOTHERVEHICLE APPARENTLY PULLED INTOHIS LANE.WITHIN MINUTES, MELTON WAS INTHE WATER.>> SOMEBODY HAD THROWN A ROPEOUT, JUST TO GIVE HIM SOMETHINGTO HOLD ONTO.BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY GETTINGTIRED.THAT'S WHY I WENT INTO THE WATERAND GOT DOWN THERE WITH HIM. HEATH: BOTH MELTON AND THEDRIVER OF THE TRUCK CAME OUT OK,BUT THE ACCIDENT SPOTLIGHTS THEMUCH TALKED ABOUT NEED FORSAFETY UPGRADES ON THE BRIDGE.AN EMOTIONAL CARLTON DUFRECHOUSAYS THE NEED IS NOW.>> YEAH.EVERYTHING WE DO ON THIS BRIDGEIS ABOUT OUT COMMUTERS AND IT ISIMPERATIVE THAT WE MAKE SAFETYIMPROVEMENTS TO GET THE BRIDGEINTO THE 21'ST CENTURY. HEATH: THE CAUSEWAY COMMISSIONBEHIND A PROPOSED $103 MILLIONPROJECT TO PUT SAFETY RAILS ONTHE SOUTHBOUND BRIDGE, ANDSHOULDERS FOR VEHICLES CANSAFELY PULL OFF.THE STRETCH OF RAILING TAKEN OUTBY THE TRUCK THIS TIME, WASACTUALLY INTENDED ASHAND-RAILING, NOT KEEP HIGHERPROFILE VEHICLES FROM GOINGOVER.TO SAY THE DRIVER WAS BLESSED ISAN UNDERSTATEMENT.LOOKING AT THE TRUCK AS IT CAMEOUT, IT APPEARS THE TRUCK LANDEDUPSIDE DOWN ON THE SIDE WALL,LENGTHS OF RAILING STICKING INTHE TRUCK.>> TODAY, ONE OUT OF EVERY TWOVEHICLES ON THE CAUSEWAY IS ANSUV OR PERSONAL PICKUP WITH AHIGHER CENTER OF GRAVITYVEHICLE. HEATH: THERE ARE ALSO ANESTIMATED SIX TIMES AS MANY CARSON THE BRIDGE TODAY THAN WHEN ITOPENED.BUT CAUSEWAY OFFICERS ARETRAINED FOR JUST SUCH INCIDENTS.WITHIN 11 MINUTES OF ACCIDENT,THE DRIVER OF THIS TRUCK WASSECURED.>> I WAS JUST CHECKING ON HIM,MAKING SURE IF ANYTHING WASHURT, IF HE FELT IF HE WAS GOINGTO GO UNCONSCIOUS, ANY ISSUESWITH HIM AND STUFF.HE SAID HE WAS JUST GETTINGTIRED FROM TREADING THE WATER. HEATH: CAUSEWAY POLICE OFFICERSARE TRAINED, BUT IT IS ANYTHINGBUT A REGULAR DAY AT WORK.

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