19-Year-Old Dies in Plunge Off Tappan Zee Bridge

A woman who jumped from the Tappan Zee Bridge this morning has been identified as 19-year-old Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez, a resident of Shrub Oak.

Lynch-Gonzalez was travelling on the north-bound side of the Tappan Zee Bridge when she stopped her silver KIA by the end of the superstructure on the Rockland side, State Police based in Tarrytown said. She got out of her vehicle sometime around 2:30 a.m.

Police said that Lynch-Gonzalez had a brief conversation with a Thruway tow-truck employee who had come over to assist the woman thinking she was having car trouble. She jumped shortly after the encounter at approximately 2:38 a.m.

Police could not confirm what was said between the bridge worker and the young woman.

Marine rescue crews from the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Fire departments participated in search and rescue operations early this morning. Tarrytown Volunteer Ambulance Corps members were also on scene to provide any medical support that may have been needed.

"We responded to a confirmed report of a female jumper," said Tarrytown Chief Engineer Peter Saracelli this morning.

The search also involved a marine unit from Irvington, two units from Rockland, county police units and divers from Piermont. The search was called of shortly after 4 a.m. this morning, before resuming after dawn.

Lynch-Gonzalez was a 2009 graduate of Lakeland High School. She was a skilled athlete, playing both varsity field hockey and lacrosse, school officials said. She was elected to student government in her senior year.

"Elizabeth was lively, energetic, and brought a smile to everyone's face and had a wide circle of friends," said Cheryl Champ, Lakeland High School Principal.

She had turned 19 last month and was a private with the United States Army.

She is the second serving member of the military to commit suicide from the span this year. Spring Valley resident Wolf Aristilde, a 22-year-old Haitian-American, died when he jumped from the bridge on January 3. He was due to deploy to Iraq. 

Profiles posted on MySpace and Facebook indicated that Lynch-Gonzalez enjoyed "driving around aimlessly and listening to music" and enjoyed being outside and hiking.

State Police Sgt. John Antoneli said that local crews would be out in the water again today, this time conducting a recovery operation for Lynch-Gonzalez. Tarrytown fire chief Saracelli said this morning that scans with thermal imaging cameras turned up negative.

Antoneli said that Lynch-Gonzalez's family had been notified about her suicide.

"We're hoping we can recover her and bring some closure to the family," he said.