Whitewater man killed when ATV falls off bridge

Southeast Missourian

A 73-year-old Whitewater man was killed around 6 p.m. Monday when the four-wheel all-terrain vehicle he was driving backed off a bridge and fell about 15 feet onto some rocks.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Melvin Blumenberg was driving on a bridge that was under construction on County Road 233 a tenth of a mile north of Route A.

Cape Girardeau County Coroner Mike Hurst said Blumenberg lived near the bridge and was known to get around on his ATV. The bridge was closed, Hurst said, but there were no signs posted -- only a backhoe parked in front of it to keep cars off. The bridge had no guardrails on the side, Hurst said.

"He was apparently looking to see how the bridge was progressing," Hurst said.

It appeared that Blumenberg had tried to back up his ATV to turn it around and got too close to the edge. Blumenberg fell onto some large rocks, and the ATV landed on top of him. He was killed instantly, Hurst said.

A relative looking for Blumenberg found him. Hurst pronounced Blumenberg dead at 6:30 p.m.