Man jumps to his death from Mississippi Coast bridge during high speed chase, police say

Margaret Baker
·1 min read

A Louisiana man involved in a high-speed pursuit early Friday evening died after jumping over the side of the Pascagoula high-rise bridge, Pascagoula Police Chief Matt Chapman confirmed Saturday morning.

James Thomas Edwards, 50, of Morgan City, died around 5:15 p.m. Friday of blunt force injuries to the body, Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd Jr. said.

His body landed on the ground below the bridge instead of in the water, Lynd said.

Jackson County sheriff’s deputies had been in a pursuit with Edwards on U.S. 90 westbound before deputies suspended the chase just before entering the city of Pascagoula, Chapman said.

Once in Pascagoula, Chapman said, Edwards sped through the city until a tire blew out on his vehicle on the bridge.

Pascagoula police responded to the scene, but the man jumped over the side of the bridge before police officers could do anything to stop it, Chapman said.

It’s unclear what prompted the pursuit. An investigation is ongoing.