A 77-year-old retiree was on vacation when he died falling from a Milwaukee drawbridge that began to rise, according to Wisconsin news reports. MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin A Rhode Island man and longtime journalist fell to his death Monday afternoon when a drawbridge opened as he was walking across, reports say. Wake up to the day's most important news. The employee had done the job for four years and successfully conducted hundreds of bridge openings, Interim Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Krusche said. A 77-year-old man died in downtown Milwaukee after the drawbridge he was walking on started to open. a man was crushed to death by a sand dune, a 75-year-old man died after he fell into a volcano, Gutting IRS Will Help Wealthy Avoid More Taxes | Opinion, Eliminating Income Tax Means More Money for Americans | Opinion. All rights reserved. According to the Milwaukee Police Department, a 20-year-old Milwaukee man was shot around 4:45 p.m. "It's very convenient to maybe blame an operator, but I'm not so sure. Richard and Rose-Marie were married for 54 years. Dujardin was a religion reporter for The Providence Journal for 47 years, according to a tribute written about him at his newspaper. He said the employee has been put on leave and offered counseling. The retiree was looking at his iPad when the bridge began to open, according to the medical examiner's report. The family has said that as out-of-town visitors, Dujardin and his wife, Rose-Marie, didnt know the bridge under their feet could open. He also would like to find the woman in scrubswho helped comfort Rose-Marie Dujardin in the aftermath of the fall. Updated: Aug 16, 2022 / 03:54 PM CDT. "It's his faith that's guided all of us," Richard's son Philip told the outlet. 3 min read. A Milwaukee man is dead after he was shot near 49th and Capitol on Monday. An 18-year-old man died following a crash on Milwaukee's north side that left two others injured and one man in custody, police say. The crash occurred . Authorities have not mentioned the potential for a financial settlement, but there is already precedent for deaths on bridges. Legal Statement. She was further ahead of him and he tried to catch up to her. Earlier this year, a 75-year-old man died after he fell into a volcano on Hawaii's Big Island in Volcanoes National Park. The investigation should scrutinize theentire process, Urban said, lookingfurther than the error of one bridge operator. Richard Dujardin, 77, of Providence, Rhode Island, was crossing the Kilbourn Avenue Bridge in downtown Milwaukee on Monday afternoon with his wife, according to a Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office report. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's report indicates the bridge's lights lit up, the bells sounded, and the gates came down at each end; however, family members say Dujardin was hard of hearing. The 77-year-old father of six clung to the Milwaukee bridge's side rail before falling 71 feet. MILWAUKEE (AP) - A Rhode Island man vacationing in Milwaukee fell to his death after a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. Rosemarie Dujardin told investigators that her husband was hard of hearing and wore a hearing aid. 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The lights and bells were going off and the protective arms came down. Wright's family filed a lawsuit in March against Florida Drawbridges Inc., (FDI) the operator of the bridge, seeking monetary damages and industry safety changes. Aug 15, 2022. A 77-year-old Rhode Island man who was vacationing with his wife in Milwaukee is dead after he fell from an opening drawbridge. Published: Aug. 17, 2022 at 1:14 AM PDT. Dujardin, 77, was vacationing in Milwaukee when he fell to his death after a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. 0:55. When it started to rise he panicked and grabbed onto the side rail," according to the report. Richard's loved ones are asking anyone with footage from the incident to come forward to police, according to WTMJ-TV. Dujardin was reportedly hard of hearing and may have been distracted by an iPad when the tragedy occurred. The 77-year-old man who died while crossing a drawbridge in Milwaukee has been identified as Richard Dujardin of Providence, Rhode Island. Updated: Aug 16, 2022 / 11:20 PM EDT. Just after noon Monday . Interim Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke said the bridge operator, who has four years of experience, has been placed on leave following Monday's incident, according to the AP. Richard Dujardin . The department said in a statement that about half of the city's 20 bridges are operated remotely, calling it "a safe and standard industry practice.". Richard Dujardin, 77, of Providence, Rhode Island, was crossing the Kilbourn Avenue Bridge in downtown Milwaukee on Monday afternoon with his wife, according to a Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office report. Milwaukee police said Wednesday that there is no suspicion of a crime but that the death remains under investigation. In February, a bicyclist fell to her death when a drawbridge connecting Palm Beach to the Florida mainland began rising before she could reach the other side. A Rhode Island man vacationing in Milwaukee fell to his death after a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. Richard Dujardin, 77, of Providence, Rhode Island, was crossing the Kilbourn Avenue Bridge in downtown Milwaukee on Monday afternoon with his wife, according to a . IE 11 is not supported. The man then appears to attempt to walk back towards the base of the bridge. In a panic, the former reporter "grabbed onto the side rail" as the bridge opened, according to the report. He was also the father of six children, and his family remembers him as an avid traveler, devout Catholic and passionate storyteller, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 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Interim Commissioner of Public Works Jerrel Kruschke said in a statement that their employee during the incident was "fully trained", in his fourth year as a bridge operator and had opened bridges hundreds of times. They had six children and were married for 54 years. Dujardin who walked slowly and wore a hearing aid was also looking at an iPad as he crossed the bridge. "He tried to catch up to her but was not fast enough. He hung on for 1-2 minutes, but "ultimately lost his grip" and fell about 71 feet. Six months after a 79-year-old woman fell to her death while on a drawbridge that was being raised in Florida, a similar tragedy in Wisconsin. MILWAUKEE (AP) A Rhode Island man vacationing in Milwaukee fell to his death after a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. His wife told investigators that her husband was usually a slow walker and wore a hearing aid. WISCONSIN WIDOW SUES VETERAN'S NURSING HOME OVER HUSBAND'S DEATH, Richard and Rosemarie Dujardin. Published: Aug. 17, 2022 at 1:14 AM PDT. Dujardin hung onto the railing for 1-2 minutes, before losing his grip and falling to the pavement below, the medical examiners report states. An elderly retiree on vacation was killed during a drawbridge accident in Wisconsin on Monday. Aug 18, 2022, 05:25 PM EDT. When the bridge started to rise he panicked and grabbed onto the side rail. He really tried valiantly to save his own life, his son Peter Dujardin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He was very proud of that moment," Grew said. Richard . Richard Dujardin was crossing the Kilbourn Avenue . Please enter valid email address to continue. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "Our employee during the time of the incident was fully trained and in his fourth year as a bridge operator having conducted hundreds of bridge openings.". MILWAUKEE (AP) A Rhode Island man vacationing in Milwaukee fell to his death after a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. The bridge tender on duty at the time was arrested and faces a charge of one count of manslaughter by culpable negligence in Wright's death. MILWAUKEE (WKOW) -- A man died after falling off an open drawbridge in Milwaukee. Richard was an award-winning reporter for 47 years at The Providence Journal in Rhode Island, mainly covering religion. Then he fell 71 feet to his death, according to witnesses and a report from the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office. Dujardin and his wife were crossing the . MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. - A 36-year-old Milwaukee man died in a car crash on I-41 on Saturday, Jan. 14. They were scheduled to fly home on the day of the accident. August 17, 2022 2:05 pm. Published: Aug. 17, 2022 at 1:14 AM PDT. His wife, Rose-Marie, was walking ahead of him and made it to the other side of the bridge, but Dujardin moved slowly and was hard of hearing. The City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. The . NBC 10 NEWS 8/17/2022. He had "the ability to listen deeply and always generously captured his subjects," according to the publication. Elderly man falls to his death from Milwaukee drawbridge. The couple had six children together. MILWAUKEE (AP) A Rhode Island man vacationing in Milwaukee fell to his death after a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. Milwaukee police officers were . A 77-year-old man plunged to his death from a Milwaukee drawbridge as it opened while he was walking across it. Richard Dujardin, a longtime religion reporter for the Providence Journal, fell back and hit his head on the concrete sidewalk when the bridge rose to a 90-degree angle, his son told Inside Edition. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. A 77-year-old man died after he fell 70 feet from a raised drawbridge while vacationing with his wife in downtown Milwaukee on Monday, authorities say. "Some people called this a freak accident, stuff like that this is a tragedy waiting to happen.". First published on August 17, 2022 / 12:27 PM. How the leviathan administrative state is hurting the economy, Welcome to the sex offender's paradise: Gender self-identification changing rooms, Thirty feet and counting: California town buried in snow, Bitcoin has risen nearly 30% since start of new year, Joe Biden approves emergency declaration for California due to atmospheric river, WATCH: Doorbell video shows how 7-year-old girl saves great-grandmother trapped under SUV. In a statement sent to the outlet, the Milwaukee Department of Public Works (MDP) said the bridge is controlled by a remote operator. A man vacationing in Milwaukee has died after falling from a drawbridge that a remote operator began opening when the victim was partially across. Dujardin was a father of six. Richard . He grabbed onto the side rail, but ultimately lost his grip and fell onto the pavement below," the report says. or redistributed. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Richard Dujardin, who reported on religion for the Providence Journal for more than 30 years, fell to his death in Milwaukee on Monday when a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. MILWAUKEE (AP) - A Rhode Island man vacationing in Milwaukee fell to his death after a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. According to witnesses, Dujardin was already on the bridge when the alarm bells and lights went off and the traffic gates lowered. The Milwaukee Police Department announced an investigation into Richard's death shortly after Monday's deadly incident. The bridge operator has two camera views "that are to be checked" before the bridge is raised. Getty. Richard Dujardin, 77, was walking across the Kilbourn Avenue bridge when it began to rise. They were walking on the Kilbourn Avenue drawbridge over the Milwaukee River at about noon Monday. A Providence man died when he fell from a drawbridge while on vacation in Wisconsin on Monday. The family of Richard Dujardin, the man killed on the Kilbourn Avenue drawbridge Monday met with Milwaukee police Wednesday. WATCH: Video appears to show a man on the Kilbourn bridge as it begins to rise. Stock image of a police car. MILWAUKEE (AP) - A Rhode Island man vacationing in Milwaukee fell to his death after a drawbridge was raised while he was walking across it. Interim Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke said the employee who operated the bridge is in his fourth year and has conducted hundreds of bridge openings. Richard Dujardin, 77, of Providence, Rhode Island, was . The Martin County Sheriff's Office said they found the body of the 35-year-old man inside a dune just south of the House of Refuge on Hutchinson Island. He never wanted to die young.. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the operator is now on leave. Richard and Rosemarie were on their way to a noon Mass at the time, per The Providence Journal, where Richard worked as a religion reporter for 47 years. Contact reporterSophie Carson at (414) 223-5512 or scarson@gannett.com. To bring a lawsuit against the city, notice of claimmust be filed within 120 days of the incident. "The family has retained me to make sure that there is some accountability for this," he said. The last thing he said to me was that my mom was a hero," Richard's son Jean-Paul recalled. Police said video evidence contradicted Paulk's statements that she walked outside to check the bridge for vehicles and pedestrians before she opened it, according to WPTV. MILWAUKEE A 77-year-old man died after he fell 70 feet from a raised drawbridge while vacationing with his wife in downtown Milwaukee on Monday, authorities say. Published: Aug. 17, 2022 at 1:14 AM PDT. An MPD spokesperson said in a statement sent to Newsweek: "At this time, there is no suspicion of criminal act; however, the investigation is ongoing. Milwaukee. About seven drawbridges, including the one Dujardin was on, are operated remotely from a location on Water Street. In an effort to survive, he grabbed on to a side rail. The attorney, Jay Urban, said he planned to file a notice of claim against the city ahead of a likely lawsuit and needed to gather as much information as possible. Published: Aug. 17, 2022 at 1:14 AM PDT. August 16, 2022. Richard Dujardin, 77, of Providence . His name has not been released. Richard Dujardin of Providence was about halfway across a bridge Monday when it began to . The bridge continued to rise until it was straight up at a 90-degree angle. There will be no criminal charges in the death of a Rhode Island man in a Milwaukee drawbridge accident. Dujardin "hung onto the railing for 1-2 minutes, before losing his grip and falling to the pavement below," according to the medical examiner's report obtained by CBS affiliate WDJT-TV. MILWAUKEE . 4. Sergio Amiti via Getty Images. Her family was recently awarded $8 million. The video shows that Dujardin was still on the bridge when it began to open, the medical examiner wrote, noting that he was "wearing dark colored clothing, and the railing of the bridge is dark green.". Richard Dujardin, 77, of Providence, Rhode Island, was crossing the Kilbourn Avenue Bridge in downtown Milwaukee on Monday afternoon with his wife, according to a Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office [] Richard Dujardin of Providence was about halfway across a bridge Monday when it began to rise, per a Milwaukee County medical examiners report obtained and posted online by CBS affiliate, They were crossing the bridge over the Milwaukee River at Kilbourn Avenue and Riverwalk Way on their way to the church when the incident occurred, per the. Show Transcript. The lights and bells were operational as the two sections were raised and crossing arms came down at each end of the bridge, according to investigators. Dujardin retired from the Journal in 2013. "The lights, bells, and arms came down at each end of the bridge, however Richard was hard of hearing and it is thought that he didnt notice them. Daughter Julianne Grew said her father "loved traveling" and had a good sense of humor. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Dujardin died of severe head trauma, per the report. A lawyer for the family of the man killed on a downtown bridgeasked on Wednesday for witnesses and those with video footage to come forward. (THECOUNT) Richard Dujardin, of Providence, Rhode Island, has been identified as the victim in a fatal fall from a Milwaukee drawbridge on Monday. ", CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. Richard Dujardin, 77, was visiting Milwaukee with his wife Rosemarie. On the Milwaukee River camera, video appears to show a man on the Kilbourn Avenue Bridge as it starts to rise. Richard's family is asking anyone that has footage of what happened on this bridge to come forward to the police. "One of his favorite moments in life was meeting Pope John Paul II in person and giving him cards that my siblings had made for him," Grew said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Milwaukee police attempted CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Urban asked any witnesses or anyone who has videos of the incident or information about bridge safety issues to contact him at jurban@wisconsininjury.com or 414-704-7207. Richard Dujardin, 77, was about halfway across the Kilbourn Avenue Bridge in . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Its very impressive that a man of his age was able to muster up the strength to hold on for that long, he said to the Journal Sentinel. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. All Rights Reserved. A drawbridge along East Kilbourn Avenue on the Milwaukee River in Milwaukee on Aug. 8. Police performed CPR at the scene, but were unable to revive him. Urban wants to use that time to gather as much information as possiblebefore submitting the notice. Public Works officials have defended the remote operation of bridges as a routine industry practice. The man's family reported him missing on January 3, one day after he fell, and rangers searched throughout the night to find him. A police spokesperson told WISN 12: "The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) sends our sincere condolences to the decedent's family and friends who lost their loved one during this tragic accident.".