A couple jumped off the Market Street Bridge early Wednesday morning. The female made it to shore and went home without alerting rescuers. The man was rescued in the river and hauled off to jail.
At approximately 8:30 a.m., investigators with the Chattanooga Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit located the female who had jumped into the river at 100 Riverfront Parkway. She has been identified as 27-year-old Ashley Smart, who was found at her residence unharmed.
Ms. Smart had made it to shore and left the scene without notifying the officers.
The man who was rescued earlier this morning by Chattanooga patrol officers, has been identified as 40-year-old William Toner. Toner had no injuries and was taken to the jail on charges of public intoxication and reckless endangerment.
At 1:10 a.m. officers had responded to a call under the Market Street Bridge after a Russell Security Guard reported a man and woman had jumped into the river and appeared to be struggling to get back to shore.
Officers arrived and both victims were still in the water. The man was rescued from the middle of the river with the aid of a private citizen in a boat.
The female went under the water before they were able to reach her. Hamilton County Rescue then used their boat and sonar, but had not been able to locate her.