7 Fleeing Deer Jump Off Bridge; 5 Killed

Seven deer, apparently frightened by hunters, jumped off a state thruway bridge Sunday and plunged about 35 feet to a highway below, killing four of the animals instantly, police said.

A fifth deer, badly injured, dragged itself into nearby woods and later was destroyed by officers, whereas the remaining two animals ran off with lesser injuries, Sgt. Louis Corsi of the Bethlehem Town Police said.

The animals apparently were startled by a group of hunters and moved onto the thruway, Corsi said. They then jumped over the side of a bridge over U.S. 9W, clearing a snow fence attached to the structure but falling about 35 feet to the road below.

The deer who died all fell onto the concrete highway, but the two that apparently survived landed on grass, he said.