1982 - 1987 jump events

updated: 02.13.16

articles about skyway jumpers before this site was created.

10.07.87: jumper, male, died • the first reported skyway suicide from the new span.
Louis Charles Huth, 30

10.13.87, St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Body found in Tampa Bay is identified;
BRADENTON - The Manatee County Sheriff's Department on Monday identified a body found floating in Tampa Bay last week as that of 30-year-old Charles Huth of [address withheld] in St. Petersburg.
Huth's body was found Thursday two miles east of Anna Maria Island.
The death has been ruled a suicide. The Sheriff's Department said Huth apparently jumped from the span of the new Skyway. Last Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol removed Huth's motorcycle from the top of southbound span of the bridge.
Authorities ruled Huth's death a suicide after relatives said Huth had been despondent because of a drunken driving arrest and turning 30 years old.

07.24.87: jumper, male, lived • the first reported skyway jumper from the new span.
Frederick Sharp, 37

07.28.87: full article

spent four nights naked on an island.

04.20.87: current bridge opens with four lanes of traffic.

10.30.86: save, male
Thomas R. Wilsie, 38

07.18.86: escaping jumper, male, lived
William Frank Kuttig, 24

07.19.86: full article

08.11.85: jumper, female, lived
Dene Peachnick, 32

07.26.85: possible jumper, male

07.08.85: jumper, male, died
Jose Ramirez, 57

tbo.com, Left Oldsmobile on bridge, jumped. Body recovered next day.

03.28.85: possible jumper

??.??.85: possible jumper, female, hit water, died, body found
Karen Tucker (unconfirmed)

06.09.10, Kalee, port Richey, (1985, female, hit water, died, body found), My aunt Karen Tucker took her life by jumping off the sky way bridge and was wondering why my Aunt was not posted.

any more info is welcome.

06.15.84: maybe jumper, male