Nevada County search and rescue teams and a helicopter were called out to the South Yuba River Wednesday night after a woman fell to her death off the old Highway 49 Bridge.
   Search and Rescue teams located her body about 200 yards downstream with a visible head injury.  The woman had reportedly been released from the county jail late that afternoon and according to Nevada county Sheriff’s Coroner Paul Shmidt she was getting a ride to North San Juan from a friend when they made a stop at the parking lot of the old Highway 49 Bridge.

“She told the gentleman that was giving her a ride that she had to go to the bathroom, so he pulled over and she got out. He watched her walk right past  the porta potties and he thought that was odd and he got out to look. It was getting dark at that time and he walked out on the bridge but didn’t see anything.”

The man  then continued on towards North San Juan until  he could receive cell phone service and called 911.  The woman, 43 year old Michelle Lee Ingram had been arrested on Monday for being at a Nevada City bar,  a violation of her probation terms that included no alcohol or presence where alcohol is served.    The coroner says his office has yet to determine if her death was a suicide or an accidental fall into the river.