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Coroner identifies man killed in fall from Johnson Street Bridge

The man who died after falling from the Johnson Street Bridge Wednesday has been identified as 31-year-old Martin Lawrence Alphonse. Alphonse, a Victoria resident, was with two other people who were climbing its girders.

The man who died after falling from the Johnson Street Bridge Wednesday has been identified as 31-year-old Martin Lawrence Alphonse.

Alphonse, a Victoria resident, was with two other people who were climbing its girders. Police believe alcohol was a factor. B.C. Coroners Service confirmed the identity this afternoon.

Police were alerted by a concerned citizen at about 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday that a number of people had been seen climbing the girders.

Alphonse died on the way to hospital despite life-saving efforts. He was unresponsive when emergency crews arrived.

Foul play was not involved and the death was a “tragic accident,” said Victoria police spokesman Const. Mike Russell.

Alphonse appeared to fall from girders onto a railing and then into a narrow space between the bridge’s pedestrian walkway and the road.

A green flannel shirt could be seen in the space on Thursday morning.

Detectives removed the shirt and a black shoe found on the pedestrian portion of the bridge.

The bridge was closed until 5 a.m. as investigators collected evidence and spoke to witnesses.

Officers questioned a number of people who were climbing the bridge with the man and they were initially unco-operative, Russell said. On Thursday, “upon sober second thought,” some of the people came forward with more information, he said.

Stairs that lead up the bridge on the downtown side are guarded by a gate with a no trespassing sign, but people climbing to the top of the bridge has been a problem for decades.

In the past year, there have been 31 reports of people on the bridge’s girders, police said.

In August, a man dislocated his shoulder after he jumped from the bridge trying to impress someone, Russell said.

He said he can’t recall any recent fatal falls from the bridge.

A bridge operator who raises the bridge for marine traffic works seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., said City of Victoria spokeswoman Katie Hamilton. There is an on-call operator for evening lifts but the bridge has never been manned 24 hours a day, she said.

The bridge is 8.4 metres high on the west side — where it appears the man fell — and 20.2 metres on the downtown side.

“The bridge is inspected daily and any time there is an incident reported to us, the details are reviewed to determine whether there is more that can be done to further deter access to the structure,” Hamilton said.

A $93-million replacement bridge is set to be open in late 2015.

kderosa@timescolonist.com

charnett@timescolonist.com