New York Times article on Niagara Falls incident

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document THE NEW YORK TIMBS METRO WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2 Dan Cappellauzo for Che Newock im The brink of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, where on Monday, Kirk R. Jones of Canton, Mich, climbed a barricade and let himself be swept away. Family Stunned After Son Takes Niagara Plunge and Lives Continued From Poge BI mischlef and performing an unlawful stunt within a government-run park made ther ourner te barrefoctome other contalner Inspector Paul Forcier of the Niag- The onte othert person snown to survived sald his fatber, Raymond Jones, 77."He's got a lot more cour- ane than Ido.? Keith Jones said going overthe falla was the first daneerous stunt he recalled his brother pulling. *He's got to be the worst driver on earth, but he didn't have a death wish or teopardize himself like he did this time," Keith Jones satd He just got In his mind that he was gotng to do something drastic. He didn't want to hie but 1 think it was his way of letting everybody know that be's arounde?® The plunge defled the laws of phys Ios and Canada: The fast-moving water of the Niag- ara River combined with the swirl- ing whiripoolsandrocksbelow should have proved fatal, sald a st- entist who has stidled the water-flow patterns of Nlagara Falls. MTes like Mission Impossible said the scientist, Christina Tsai, a protessor of civil engineering at the State University of New York at Buf- falo Vit's kind of a miracle That's a really good spot it you want to com- mit smicide** Mr. Jones will be charged with ara Park Police said The stunting nave lived through an unprotocted charge carries a fine of up to $10,000, fall was a 7-year-old, Roger Wood- Mr. Jones remained hospitalized and ward of Ntagara Falls, M.Y. He was under a 72 hourpsychiatric watch swept over in 1960, wearing a life Tuesdayas required by the law, jacket, after a boat piloted by a lam- though Inspector Forcier saldhis lly friend, Jim Honeycutt, capsized. injuries were not life threatening His 17-year-old sister, Deanne, was Witnesses said Mr. Jones floated rescued 20 teet from the brink Mn. calmly on his back to the brink of the Honeycutt dled after going over the 173-foot-high Horseshoe Palls before talls, but the boysuffered only a disappearing: minor head wound iWe thought we were witnessing a Mr. Woodward, now a 50-year-old man's death: Terry McMullen of business executive living in Hunts- Ashtabula, Ohio, told The Buffalo ville, Ala, volced disdain Jor Mi. News, "He glided risht by us on his Jones's actlons during an interview back with his arms in the alr as with The Associated presc though he was taking a leisurely swim. He went over the falls without Kirk R.Jones told his family he was planning to go over the falls. "f It's a stunt, I think it's silly a sound? foolishness and i don't want co have Most daredevil attempts have oo- anything to do wíth it/ Mr Wood- curred at the Canadian cataracts; since the American falls are 10 feet higher, with ominous rocks jutting higher out of the river below. News of Mr. Jones's stunt stunned nelghbors in his hometown, Canton, 15 miles west of Detrolt. '"He's a very nice guy, a wonderful neighbor said Joyce Reed who works at a group facility for develop- mentally disabled adults two doors down from Mr. Jones's home in Can- ton He didn't seem like the type to đo something like this." Miss Reed said she last spoke to Mr. Jones about buying a used car from him three weeks ago. "He helped us a lot" she said. «Wheriever one of us had problems with our car, he d come help us out.? Of the 11 previous survivors of a trip over the Horseshoe Falls, 10 ward soid Keith Jones sald his brother was calm when he talked to him Tuesdas "After 1 got over the shock that be actually made it, I told him that he should talk to the doctors Mr. Jones said. *1 told him, Hey man, you ve got to respect lite a little moreld realize now that he had more prob lems than 1 thought 1 chink he real- izes that now, too! NYC-WTC_000142905