Wilmington man charged with jumping off Wrightsville Beach bridge

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The search for a man who jumped off a Wrightsville Beach bridge early this morning ended with a man in jail. Joseph Compton, 28, of Wilmington, is charged with jumping from a state bridge, resist, delay and obstruction.

Police say about 4 a.m. an officer saw Compton jump off the Banks Channel bridge. When he did not see Compton in the water, he called in fire and EMS. A friend said he saw Compton surface and disappear.

Eventually the Coast Guard and SABLE helicopter joined the search, but called it off after a couple of hours. As crews left an officer saw a man fitting the jumper’s description walking across the bridge. It was Compton.

He is out of jail under a $300 unsecured bond.