Auburn man takes own life at Foresthill Bridge

The Placer County Sheriff's Office confirmed there was a suicide at the Foresthill Bridge on Feb. 18. The victim was identified as Kevin Dyer, 57, of Auburn. According to the Placer County Sheriff's Office, the body was recovered at the base of the west stanchion of the bridge. The bridge has been the scene of 90 other suicides over 47 years, according to an unofficial Auburn Journal count. Foresthill Bridge is the highest in California and fourth-highest in the United States. Phones, which can be used to call a suicide prevention hotline, have been in place on the bridge for 20 years as an attempt to reduce the number of people jumping. Two phones were reported stolen last month and have since been replaced. Railing on both sides of the bridge has been raised in recent years, and "Messages of Hope" have been fastened to the railing by volunteers in an attempt to convince people that life continues to be worth living. According to Lt. Andrew Scott, Placer County Sheriff's Office public information officer, officers "plead with people to contact someone if they are struggling." Suicide hotline prevention numbers to call are 888-886-5401 and 530-886-5401.