10:49 AM: Northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101 in Marin County have reopened following the death of a woman who fell or jumped to her death from an overpass in Novato this morning, a California Highway Patrol officer said.
The incident was reported around 7:20 a.m. below the Atherton Avenue overpass at Highway 101.
The woman’s body was struck by two northbound vehicles after she landed on the four-lane highway in the area just before the Novato Narrows, CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said.
One of the two drivers suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital, Barclay said.
Although CHP officials initially said Highway 101 was shut down in both directions, only the northbound lanes of the highway were closed. Traffic was diverted onto Atherton Avenue, then back onto northbound Highway 101, Barclay said.
The northbound lanes of the highway reopened around 10:05 a.m., according to the CHP.
There is a sidewalk two feet below the Atherton Avenue roadway and a 3- to 4-foot railing on the overpass, Barclay said. There is no ledge on the other side of the railing, he said.
James Lanaras, Bay City News
8:03 AM: An apparent suicide briefly shut down U.S. Highway 101 in both directions in Novato this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Shortly before 7:20 a.m., Highway 101 was shut down after a body was found near Atherton Avenue, CHP officials said.
CHP Officer Ron Simmons said the case was an apparent suicide.
Southbound Highway 101 has since reopened in the area but northbound lanes of the highway remained closed, according to the CHP.
Motorists are advised to use eastbound state Highway 37 to Lakeville Highway as an alternate route around the area.
Simmons said there was no estimate yet for when the highway would reopen.
7:55 AM: An apparent suicide shut down U.S. Highway 101 in both directions in Novato this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Around 7:25 a.m., Highway 101 was shut down in both directions after a body was found near Atherton Avenue, CHP officials said.
CHP Officer Ron Simmons said the case was a suicide.
Traffic was being diverted off of the highway around the scene of the death, according to the CHP. Motorists are advised to use Lakeville Highway to state Highway 37 as an alternate route.
Simmons said there was no estimate for when lanes might reopen on Highway 101.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
