The Thomas Creek Bridge, north of Brookings, is 345 feet high. The Pilot/Bill Schlichting

A motorist on Highway 101 reported seeing a person pushing someone off the Thomas Creek Bridge on Wednesday.

Curry County Sheriff John  Bishop said the citizen’s tip was correct, but it wasn’t a crime in progress. Instead, it was a parachutist getting some help with his launch at 10:20 a.m.

“We think it was a father-son deal,” Bishop said.

 Evidently the father, 42-year-old Timothy Piteck of Washington state, was looking for some adventure. He floated down from the 345-foot-high bridge and landed safely on the beach, then walked up to the highway where the pair’s car was parked off the road, Bishop said.

Sheriff’s deputies and an Oregon State Police officer responded to the report.

A deputy spotted Piteck and his son, 24-year-old Andrew Winegarden of Gladstone, as they drove past the entrance to Lone Ranch Beach. The deputy pulled the men over but didn’t arrest them or issue a citation.

Bishop said he isn’t sure whether it’s illegal to jump off a bridge. However, he forwarded a report to the Curry County District Attorney’s office for consideration.

Bishop said Winegarden was on leave from the U.S. Marine Corps.