Local Man Charged in Bridge-Jumping Prank

A Bensalem man and three others were arrested for creating a false public alarm after two of them jumped off a bridge down the shore.

According to a story on PressofAtlanticCity.com, Ocean City, N.J. police said that Jason Kelly, 26 of Medford, N.J., and Erick Pelkofsky, 22, of Springfield, Pa., jumped from the Ocean City-Longport Bridge at around 1:27 a.m. Monday.

Waiting for those two below the bridge in an inflatable boat were Justin J. Theno, 24, of New Gretna, N.J., and Michael H. Rybas, 28, of Bensalem.

According to a release, a motorist who saw one of the men jump reported it to the bridge toll taker who then notified police.

The prank caused Ocean City police to raise an alarm. They requested water rescue assistance from the Coast Guard, New Jersey State Police Marine Unit, Egg Harbor Township Police, Somers Point Police and Longport Police Marine Unit.

Meanwhile, Rybas and the others maneuvered their small boat to a sailboat anchored in the area. They were seen leaving the area and eventually located. They confessed to the stunt when questioned by police.

“If we had gotten there a minute later and we didn’t see the boat, we’re going to be out there all night thinking we have a body in the water,” Ocean City police Lt. Steven Ang told the Press of Atlantic City.

“We would have been out there diving in the water around the bridge, scouring the back-bay marshes. You would have tied up a lot of manpower. This prank could have tied up our emergency responders from responding to an actual emergency where someone needed help,” added Ang.

Click here for the complete story courtesy of the Press of Atlantic City.

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