Tumtum, Washington – Man Dies of Injuries After Hitting Rocks During Cliff Jumping

Tumtum, Washington (July 13, 2019) – One man died from his injuries following a cliff jumping accident where he landed on rocks in Long Lake. The victim, identified as Dominic Ortiz Bonilla from Spokane, was said to have hit his head in the fall and was rescued by swimmers in the area. He was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, where he died on Saturday. The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled is death as accidental.

The victim was said to have jumped off a 60 foot cliff. According to one witness, the victim had jumped into a dangerous part of the waters, too close to the rocks. When the victim submerged, he didn’t come up, and nearby swimmers dove down and pulled him up to the surface. Three off-duty firefighters in a boat and two personal watercraft responded to the scene after hearing a scream. The firefighters took the victim to a place where his wounds could be treated and where he could be airlifted. This was said to be the only fatal accident that has happened in the area.

About Falls and Related Injuries

According to the World Health Organization, falling down is the 2nd leading cause for accidental or unintentional deaths. This is second only to road traffic injuries as the leading cause of unintentional injury death. While most cases of falls are non-fatal, it can still be cause for concern due to the injuries related with falls. An approximate amount of 37.3 million falls are said to require medical attention every year. Injuries may not always be serious, but have the potential to be life-threatening or disabling – examples of injures with long-term effects are broken bones (commonly fractures in the hip or wrist) or head injuries, as falls are the leading cause for traumatic brain injuries.

While falls are a matter of concern for all people, there are some factors which can make falls more risky for some. Age is one of these factors – particularly, the elderly and children are said to be at most risk in falls. Adults over the age of 65 are said to suffer the most number of fatal falls. Furthermore, adult victims may be more susceptible to future falls once they have sustained injuries from another fall. Children are at risk due to having developing bodies, and innate curiosity to explore. Factors such as environment, occupation, alcohol or substance use, and other medical conditions can also affect the risk of falls. As such, we urge everyone to do what they can to help prevent falls. Be sure to look out for hazards in the area which may lead to a fall. Keeping the body healthy is also a good way to help prevent falls, as a healthy body will have far more coordination and be ready to respond to a fall should it happen. There are many ways to ensure our safety, and preventing falls is one of them.

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