JACKSONVILLE - A dock worker on Saturday found the body of a woman who was thrown from her Jeep Wrangler and fell 150 feet into the St. Johns River after a traffic accident on the Mathews Bridge.
The worker at North Florida Shipyards saw Donna Campbell's body between two barges shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday, said Lt. Bill Leeper of the Florida Highway Patrol. .
Campbell, 46, of Hilliard was driving east Thursday night on the bridge when she lost control of the Jeep on a wet metal grating. The vehicle struck the right railing, and the woman was ejected and fell into the river.
Her son was thrown to the pavement and suffered minor injuries. Neither was wearing a seat belt.
The Coast Guard, Florida Highway Patrol, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had been searching for Campbell. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
Police say there have been at least 281 accidents on the bridge in the past year, and some claim its metal grating makes it a dangerous place to drive. A driver filed suit over the safety of the bridge last month.
