FARGO - The death of a 28-year-old Fargo man who reportedly jumped off a highway overpass into traffic in January has been ruled a suicide, according to a report released this week by the Cass County Coroner's Office.
A witness told police she saw the man, Cody Kadrmas, dive headfirst off the 45th Street South bridge onto Interstate 94 on Jan. 21, according to a Fargo Police Department report.
The witness said she and three co-workers were driving across the bridge when she saw Kadrmas go over the concrete barrier on the west edge of the bridge, the police report stated.
Kadrmas fell 26 feet before landing in the left lane of eastbound I-94. No vehicles hit him, and no motorists were hurt, authorities said.
One driver told police she saw Kadrmas falling and that she slammed on her brakes and swerved to avoid hitting him, the police report said.
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Another driver told police she noticed Kadrmas on the bridge climbing a snow pile up to the top of the concrete barrier. The driver then took the on-ramp to eastbound I-94 where she saw Kadrmas lying on the interstate, the police report said.
Kadrmas' mother, Nancy Gibbs, said she disagrees with the coroner's conclusion that her son's death was a suicide. She said she believes he was trying to move out of the way of traffic on the bridge when he accidentally went over the barrier.
Kadrmas, who had a history of mental health problems, died from his injuries Jan. 24 at Essentia Hospital. A toxicology test found no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system, the police report said.
Kadrmas' family said he was originally from Dickinson and that he and his girlfriend were expecting a baby in July. "He was just a good, all-around guy," his mother said. "He was a jokester. He was fun."
