13-year-old boy falls from bluff overlooking Mississippi River

Good things can come about because of bad things happening to a person.  Just have to find them. A 13-year-old boy fell 80 feet from a rock ledge in Eagle Point Park in Iowa.

This lad must have gotten too close to an 80-foot ledge at the Eagle Point Park in Clinton. There is a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River and he fell. The accident happened on Monday and the youngster was airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City. He was transported by MedForce helicopter. The investigation was conducted by Clinton Fire Department Battalion Chief Ken Schumacher. Clinton County Sheriff's Department was also at the scene.  The Clinton Fire Department responded with at least 10 firefighters. Jeniece Smith has the best reported story.

For whatever reason a "representative of the park filed a trespass complaint with police."

For additional stories on this subject read the following articles. The comments in the KCCI article are pretty lively concerning the debate about the citation. The comment section is sort of like the jury room where citizens debate what they believe to be the important points.

Clinton Herald, 13-year-old injured in Eagle Point Park fall, June 1, 2010, Jeniece Smith, Herald Staff Writer.

KCCI has a nice map of the area. See also Teen Injured In 80-Foot Fall At Park, June 4, 2010

KCRG Report is Teen Hurt in Fall at Clinton Park, June 4, 2010

Iowa News, WQAD, 13-year-old injured in 80-foot fall at Clinton park, flown to Iowa City hospital.

Tomorrow let's take a look at the rescue of this curious teen. This story will be posted on Life On Campus because I can see college age students getting into this kind of mishap. I did attend college in Iowa. I originated from New England. I liked Iowa City. I recall in the late seventies in Iowa City there was a quarry where we would swim. The gymnastics team members and the athletes who worked summers at the Iowa Summer Sports School (name could be different today) would swim there on the one day we had no student residents. We were the "adults" living in the resident halls with the high school athletes that attended. Dave Neilsen, a pole vaulter who tried out for the Summer Olympics in Eugene, Oregon that year could dive like no one I'd ever seen. He had no fear of heights and would climb to the top of the highest rock formation then dive doing a triple or double with a half twist before slipping without a splash into the quarry's water. We didn't drink, but we did have fun. By the way, there is a safer way to do what he was trying to do. It's called toproping.

See you tomorrow.