By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE – Authorities in St. Charles Parish say a Kenner man recently diagnosed with a terminal illness jumped to his death from the Hale Boggs Bridge in Luling Friday morning.

The body of Pedro Paez, 53, of Tupelo Street, Kenner, was recovered by a tug boat crew working near the bridge, said Capt. Pat Yoes, spokesman for the St. Charles Sheriff’s Office. Paez jumped from the top of the southbound side of the bridge shortly before 10 a.m. Friday.

Yoes said a deputy spotted Paez’s van parked on the shoulder of southbound I-310. The deputy approached the vehicle, believing the motorist had broken down and spotted Paez on the shoulder in a wheelchair.

When the deputy stopped to offer assistance, Paez pulled himself up onto the rail on the side of the bridge. Yoes said deputies spoke to Paez for several minutes before he indicated that he was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness and could not stand the pain. At that point, Paez let go of the rail and fell into the river below.

The southbound lanes of the bridge were closed for a short time while authorities investigated the incident.