Motorist pulled from Lake Pontchartrain after vehicle goes over Causeway

Helen Freund, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune ^ | May 31, 2014 | Helen Freund

[BBell]

A driver whose pickup truck went over the railing of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was rescued by several other drivers who stopped on the bridge to come to his aid Saturday afternoon. Another driver who happened upon the scene said he witnessed several people on the bridge and one person jump into the lake to save the driver whose vehicle had gone over the side.

According to the Louisiana Department of Transportation, the southbound lanes were closed Saturday (May 31) shortly after 3 p.m. due to the accident.

David Grunfeld, a photographer for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune was driving by at the time of the accident and witnessed a man being pulled out of the water.

"It was incredible,'' Grunfeld said.

Grunfeld said he came upon the accident scene probably just minutes after it occurred. He said a man in a white t-shirt jumped from the bridge into the water to help the motorist whose vehicle had gone over the side. Several other people on the bridge, using a rope, then pulled both men back onto the bridge.

[BBell]

This is what I like about Louisiana. Nobody waited for authorities they just acted. You don't see that too much anymore but it happens a lot down here.

[BBell]

[livius]

Great photos and a great story!

[SkyDancer]

Bet his GPS said make a right turn. Then said make a quick U-turn.

[Oliviaforever]

Do you get a refund on the toll if you driven off the causeway?

[ExCTCitizen]

He wanted to give his truck a bath...

Either that or a Kennedy!!

[plain talk]

incredible story

[cpdiii]

Another driver who happened upon the scene said he witnessed several people on the bridge and one good Samaritan jump into the lake to save the driver whose vehicle had gone over the side.

I was raised in West Texas and South Louisiana. This story is not extraordinary. That is the way good people take care of their own. In West Texas we do not have lakes and swamps but we have a lot of other bad stuff. Good people in West Texas and South Louisiana take care of their own and the color of the those saving or needed saving does not mean a damn thing today.

Forty years ago in the South the color would have made a difference if it were a black or white in need of help depending on those that were trying to save a victim. Also in West Texas if the victim were Mexican it would have made a difference.

The South has gotten over the stupidity of prejudice by color of skin as has Texas. In reality in Texas the politicians be they white, black or hispanic are judged by their political beliefs.

However there are those that want to be defined by their race instead of their political ideology. Those individuals use racism instead of logic as their philosophy.

They are most despicable individuals/

[Kickass Conservative]

>”However there are those that want to be defined by their race instead of their political ideology. Those individuals use racism instead of logic as their philosophy”<

You just described a certain segment of Society that Voted for Obama simply because he was (sort of) Black. As I recall, about 95% of the Voters in that “demographic” Voted for Obama.

Those are North Korean Election percentages, as were the 110%+ Voter Precincts that went for Obama.

[Rome2000]

Beer

Is there anything it cant do?

[BBell]

Nothing pisses me off more then to have some northern Yankee tell me how racist it is in the South. B.S.!!! I've lived up North and I can tell you that the blacks and whites are more racist there then down here.

I go up North to visit relatives and I see more confederate flags there then I do down here. The difference is the confederate flag is part of the culture down here. I can only think of one reason someone would fly the confederate flag up north.

[trebb]

Do you get a refund on the toll if you driven off the causeway?

Last time I drove it, there was no toll - probably isn't now.

On the flip side, it is not odd for someone to get billed for the pollutants their vehicle released into the waters - don't know how they can clean it up except for pulling the vehicle, but they do get charged for pollution.

[onyx]

Amen.
God bless and keep you.

[deport]

Do you get a refund on the toll if you driven off the causeway?

***************

He exited just at the wrong location. No refund.

[deport]

Last time I drove it, there was no toll - probably isn’t now.

********

Are you referring to the Causeway or the I-10 crossing?

http://www.thecauseway.us/causeway/tolls.php
Single axle = $3

[trebb]

Last time I drove it, there was no toll - probably isn’t now. ******** Are you referring to the Causeway or the I-10 crossing?

The I-10 crossing - never went over the causeway and mistook it for the long leg on the main corridor. Thanks for the data - I might ride the causeway next time I'm over that way just to say I did.