CCSO and Sedona Police Address Tragic Incident at Midgley Bridge

Sedona police were dispatched to the Midgley Bridge area at 5:53 a.m. on Monday, June 2, to assist the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) in a distressing situation involving a reported suicidal individual.

The CCSO received the initial call around 6 a.m. A deputy arrived at the scene by 6:22 a.m., according to Jon Paxton, public information officer for the office.

Upon their arrival, CCSO deputies assumed control of the situation while Sedona police officers remained to help secure the area for search efforts. However, initial attempts to locate the individual proved unsuccessful, Paxton noted.

Authorities later discovered the victim’s vehicle in a parking lot, accompanied by a note. At that point, Search and Rescue (SAR) teams and Criminal Investigations (CI) were called in and arrived around 8 a.m.

To facilitate operations, the northern section of the bridge was cordoned off. Extensive searches and investigations commenced shortly thereafter.

Tragically, the victim was found deceased north of the bridge at 11:30 a.m. SAR established a lift to extricate the body, completing the process by 4:30 p.m. The Coconino County Medical Examiner was then tasked with taking custody of the remains.

In response to previous tragedies—four suicides in 2015 and a fifth in 2016—Sedona city officials sought assistance from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to enhance safety at the bridge. After collaborating with a nonprofit organization to establish signage promoting a suicide-prevention hotline, ADOT worked on installing anti-suicide fencing. This 10-foot-tall chain-link fence was completed in late 2016 and early 2017, aiming to deter similar incidents. The fencing spans 374 feet, while the bridge itself measures 240 feet long.

It’s important to note that Sedona city limits conclude at the southern end of the bridge; any area to the north falls under Coconino County’s jurisdiction. ADOT maintains ownership of the bridge.