William Ramos II: Man, 29, believed to be drunk, dies after accidentally falling from Kentucky bridge
COVINGTON, KENTUCKY: Police are looking into the death of an Ohio man who died after falling off a bridge in Kentucky. The horrific incident began around 2.00 am on Monday, April 3 on the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge in Covington, which crosses the Ohio River and links Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio. William Ramos II, 29, was last seen on the Kentucky side of the river walking on the bridge's roadway, according to Covington officers.
Due to construction delays and diesel fuel scarcity, the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge took much longer than anticipated to open to traffic on October 23, 1974, costing $13.5 million. It was named by Governor Louie Nunn in honor of reporter Bailey, who worked for The Kentucky Post as a Frankfort, Kentucky, correspondent for the majority of his 46-year newspaper tenure, as per Bridges & Tunnels.
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Who was William Ramos II?
William J Ramos II, 29, was walking on the road at around 2.00 am when a police officer arrived on the scene and got out of his patrol vehicle to talk with him, said Lt. Justin Bradbury. Ramos allegedly squatted down on the concrete divider before abruptly falling over the edge, said police. The 29-year-old landed on the parking lot below and was not survived despite the ambulance being called, as per Covington police, reports Fox 19. According to Lt Bradbury, it appears that the fall was unintentional, and drinking may have had some influence.
The statement from the Covington Police Department reads, "The victim from last night's fall is identified as William J. Ramos II, 29 of Cincinnati. The fall appears to have been an accident and alcohol is believed to have been a factor. Our thoughts are with the family as they grieve their loss."
What is WHO's stance on alcohol and death?
The World Health Organization estimates that alcohol is responsible for about 13.5% of deaths in individuals between the ages of 20 and 39. "Alcohol consumption is a causal factor in more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions," the organization said on its website. "A significant proportion of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption arises from unintentional and intentional injuries, including those due to road traffic crashes, violence, and suicide. Fatal alcohol-related injuries tend to occur in relatively younger age groups."
What's the history of the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge?
The Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, which stretches 675 feet, is used by over 12,000 motorists every day. Local traffic used the Roebling Bridge or Central Bridge to traverse the Ohio River between Covington and Cincinnati before the Bailey Bridge was built. The Ohio River crossing built between 1886 and 1889 by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway underwent a change in 1929 when the railroad built a new bridge to span the river. After being shut down for two years due to safety concerns, the modified bridge was eventually destroyed in 1970 and replaced with the new Bailey bridge, as per Bridges & Tunnels.
