Bridge named for Jersey City E.S.U. Cops

[Truck4 48]

Bridge where officers died will be named for them

by The Jersey Journal

Thursday September 27, 2007, 9:27 AM

The Linclon Highway Bridge will be officially renamed for Jersey City Police Officers Shawn Carson and Robert Nguyen, who tragically plunged off the span to their deaths on Christmas night 2005.

City and state officials will gather on the vertical lift bridge, which spans the Hackensack River between Jersey City and Kearny, at 11:45 this morning for the dedication.

Carson and Nguyen, members of the department's Emergency Service Unit, were called to the bridge that night to deliver flares to the Kearny side because the warning system to indicate the bridge is raised was not functioning.

Unaware that it had been lifted while they were on the Kearny side, the officers drove off the open span on their way back to Jersey City.

Tears and pride marked the renaming of the Lincoln Highway Bridge today in honor of the two Jersey City police officers who died after driving off the bridge and plunging into the cold Hackensack River on Christmas night 2005.

At the foot of the bridge on both the Jersey City and Kearny sides, signs have been erected reading, "Police Officer Shawn Carson and Robert Nguyen Memorial Bridge.

As pipers played "Amazing Grace," the mothers of Nguyen and Carson leaned over the bridge railing and sobbed after red, white and blue wreaths were thrown into the fast current near where the bodies were recovered.

"We hold on to the good memories and let them bring a smile to our faces," said the Rev. Joseph Jones at the end of the ceremony.

"It's great to be able to drive over that bridge and not see it as so negative," said Nguyen's brother, Mason. "It's like my brother is winking back at me. It's a great honor."

At Puccini's Restaurant before the ceremony on the bridge, Mason Nguyen sat at a table with his mother, Bichvan, his father, Trinh, and other family members and friends.

"The pain for me is so great but I can still give God praise because he is not forgotten," said Shawn Carson's mother, Martha Ford. "I will always remember this day."

Carson, 40, and Nguyen, 30, were killed when their Emergency Services Unit truck inadvertently went off the Lincoln Highway Bridge. The pair had dropped off flares on the Kearny side of the lift bridge for use in stopping traffic while it was open because its barriers were not working.

They headed back toward Jersey City unaware that the center portion of the bridge had already been raised, and their car plunged into the river.

[Guest]

thats a nice gesture. u know if there's a permanent memorial?

[JCESU 20]

There are several Memorial's throughout the city that have been dedicated in memory of Shawn and Rob by civic organizations. So much blood, sweat and tears were shed at the bridge and the river banks (we recovered a hazmat book where the Kill Van Kull meets the NY Harbor when searching the shoreline with a zodiac-approx. 10 miles away)by hundreds of volunteers from all walks of the emergency service community during the recovery of Shawn and the search and recovery of Rob that the bridge itself has taken on a life of its own as a memorial. In January of 06' a largely attended service and plaques were installed on the bridge in their honor. Shawn and Rob were truly two of the nicest guys I have had the pleasure of being friends with and working along side. Sorry for the delay in the response to your question. I missed the original post/article by my good friend from YPD-E.S.U.

STAY SAFE, RICK