HOULTON, Maine — A Houlton woman was lucky to be alive Thursday morning after police say she fell off a trestle bridge spanning the Meduxnekeag River.
According to Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin, Sarah Ambrose, 37, of Houlton was sitting on the bridge at 6:34 a.m. dangling her feet over the edge when she decided to drop down approximately five feet to the top of a concrete support pier.
“It appears Ambrose slipped or couldn’t hang on when she attempted to drop down to the top of the pier which is approximately two feet wide,” the chief said. “She missed the top of the pier and fell approximately 30-40 feet into the fast moving water, which was approximately 5-6 deep at the time due to all of the rain the area recently received.”
Ambrose managed to swim to the Mill Street side of the river where Houlton firefighters assisted her. There were no apparent injuries or complaint of pain, but the officers recommended she be transported to Houlton Regional Hospital for an examination.
According to the investigating officers, Ezekiel Collins and Stephen Nason, Ambrose was uncooperative. Ambrose had been on the bridge speaking with a friend of hers when the incident occurred. Officers credited the flow and depth of the river at the time for saving Ambrose from serious injury or death.
The trestle bridge has a catwalk located on one side of it for maintenance. The bridge is not for pedestrian use. Asselin said charges could be brought against Ambrose and her companion, who was not named.