Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWapartments | NWsource | Classifieds | seattletimes.com

Thursday, July 3, 2008 - Page updated at 12:10 PM

E-mail article     Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

Handcuffed woman who jumped from bridge recaptured

A handcuffed woman who agreed to act as a drug informant, then leaped from a bridge into the chilly Wenatchee River, was recaptured early Thursday morning after a daylong chase.

Associated Press Writer

SEATTLE —

A handcuffed woman who agreed to act as a drug informant, then leaped from a bridge into the chilly Wenatchee River, was recaptured early Thursday morning after a daylong chase.

A search with a bloodhound, personal watercraft, helicopter and dive and ground teams ended in the arrest of Sandra I. Duffy, 43, was caught shortly after 1 a.m. at a house in Peshastin, nearly 20 miles from where she jumped, Chelan County sheriff's Lt. Jerry Moore said.

Duffy had been was arrested Tuesday on probation violation warrants and federal drug violations from Spokane, including possession of methamphetamine. Moore said she agreed to turn informant and help the Columbia River Drug Task Force buy cocaine.

After telling officers a seller had agreed to meet her Tuesday night at the Sleepy Hollow Bridge upriver from Wenatchee in northcentral Washington state, she walked onto the bridge with a coat draped over her hands to hide her handcuffs.

Three uniformed officers and three undercover officers were nearby as she jumped 20 feet into the swift-flowing 48-degree water and vanished from sight.

"It turns out, that story that she was going to meet a seller was fabricated," Moore said. "The whole time she'd been utilizing her cell phone, which was given back to her to arrange the meet, and texting folks to help her escape."

During the ensuing search, deputies were aided by a string of callers who said they saw a blonde woman walking barefoot in handcuffs through their orchards.

One tip led to the discovery of Duffy hiding under a blanket in a house, Moore said.

She initially gave a false name but was identified, arrested and jailed for investigation of escape, obstructing justice and theft for getting out of the handcuffs.

Meanwhile, sheriff's deputies were trying to determined who may have helped her escape.

"We're pretty sure she did not walk 20 miles barefoot over the pass," Moore said. "It's likely she had help."

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Local News headlines...

E-mail article Print view

advertising

Advertising

Buy a link here

NEW - 05:50 PM
Ex-judges target building industry group, Rossi

NEW - 08:28 PM
Snoqualmie Hospital denied rezoning that would allow move to I-90 site

Students feeling economy's crunch

Light-rail foes focus on worst-case figures

Initiative would require more training for caregivers

Advertising

This feature requires Flash 7.

Download Flash

Top video | World | Science / Tech | Entertainment

Marketplace
Advertising