UPDATED: 2019/03/19 12:00 PM
Taylor Smith, 19, has pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment after she pushed friend, Jordan Holgerson, 16, off a 60-foot bridge in August of 2018. A group of friends decided to go to Moulton Falls in Washington State to see who would jump off the bridge and into the water below. While Jordan was on the ledge, she decided at the last minute not to jump, and video footage shows her shaking in fear. Before she could get off the ledge, Smith pushed her enough to lose her balance and fall off the bridge before she had a chance to steady herself. Experts agree that because of how quickly she fell, hitting the water caused the same type of physical injuries that she would have sustained had she hit concrete from a 60-foot fall. The accident caused six of her ribs to break and both of her lungs to puncture.
While Smith previously faced a fine of $5,000 and the potential for one year in prison, she recently accepted a plea deal where the prosecutor has suggested no jail time. Holgerson’s family has come out saying that while their daughter does suffer from lasting damage from the incident, they are “okay” with the plea deal. Smith said “I never intended to hurt her ever, nor would I intend to hurt anyone, ever. I’m sorry it worked out that way,’ she said last year. ‘I accept the charges maturely and all I can do is hope for the best for Jordan and myself.”
Holgerson’s mother stated on Monday that her daughter is still in pain from the accident and must go through physical therapy to help in addition to suffering from anxiety from the incident. Holgerson and her parents are ready to move on from this incident and start a new chapter in their lives.