The Associated Press
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2001; 2:52 p.m. EDT

SEATTLE –– A woman leaped off a 160-foot-high bridge Tuesday after authorities closed a busy interstate because passing motorists were yelling at her to jump.

The 28-year-old woman, whose name was not released, was rescued and taken to a hospital. There was no immediate word on her condition.

The woman was on the southbound side of the Interstate 5 bridge over the Ship Canal, near the University of Washington.

The northbound lanes were closed because of what Assistant Police Chief John Diaz called "a very disturbing trend."

"We had motorists, truckers, people in a Metro bus, screaming at her to jump," Diaz said.

Rush-hour traffic through Seattle was stalled for three hours as police tried to negotiate with the woman. She leaped at about 10 a.m., plunging into the canal.

"She kind of just cannonballed," said Holly Viola, who was caught in the traffic jam. "She came up and she was swinging her arms, trying to swim."