The 38-year-old man had hit a couple of cars while trying to back out of a dead end near his son’s school. A resident shared video of the incident with River Edge police who -- aware of his history -- began looking for the troubled driver.
Then came the heartbreaking news.
It was shortly before 5 p.m. when a concerned citizen called Palisades Interstate Parkway Police from the State Line Lookout above the Hudson River in Alpine, Lt. Raymond Walter said.
The caller had seen what appeared to be the shadow of someone jumping from the edge of the cliff, he said.
Officers found his body at the base of the cliff 500 feet below.
Members of the East Bergen Rappel Team responded along with the drone unit from the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, Walter said.
The Bergen County Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Identification gathered evidence and the county Medical Examiner’s Office collected the body. Both are assisting PIP police detectives in their investigation of the incident.
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The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at: 988lifeline.org.
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