Johnny Korthuis walks along the Lethbridge Viaduct - Date unknown Johnny Korthuis.

30 January 2013

Adventure Athlete Fined for Making Base Jump Off Lethbridge Bridge

Lethbridge Alberta - A 25-year-old adventure athlete was charged with trespassing after jumping off the High Level Bridge in Lethbridge, Alberta, with a parachute.
 
A video is making the rounds that shows Johnny Korthuis as he walks out onto the railway bridge, stands on the railing, and then jumps more than 95 metres to the river valley below in something called base jumping.
 
Kristen Harding of the Lethbridge police service says they're concerned about the notoriety the video seems to be generating.
 
She says they fear it could potentially lead to copycat jumps, and the police force doesn't want to end up having to knock on someone's door to tell them their loved one has been hurt or killed.
 
Korthuis is well known in the extreme sports community for his cycling demonstrations that promote sports equipment and cycling safety.
 
He says he did not intend to inspire unsafe or illegal behaviour.
 
"Safety is priority one and you want to be able to do the things you love for your whole life rather than getting reckless and doing things for the adrenaline rush," says Korthuis.
 
He says the video that was recorded on Saturday was a collaboration with one of his sponsors and what happens to it is out of his control.
 
Korthuis was fined $287 for the stunt and is receiving offers from admirers offering to pay it, but says he won't accept and will pay his own fine.
 
"I just want to clear up my motives are not to be reckless, or to be bad ass, or anything like that, but I just simply had a goal, one that I had been looking forward to achieving for a long time," says Korthuis.
 
He says he knew jumping off the bridge was illegal, but he never expected it would receive this much attention.
 
Author unknown.
 
Editor's Note:  Notice the lack of clearance between the rail and the steel girder of the bridge. Insufficient to avoid any oncoming train.

Vancouver Island
British Columbia
Canada