Officials have identified the Northampton man who was found dead after he fled from police and jumped into the Lehigh River.
Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio identified Toddrick Bynoe, 46, as the man who was found dead in the river Saturday, days after he had fled from police officers. Bynoe’s body was found Saturday in about 9 feet of water in the river.
An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
Coplay police said Lehigh County deputy sheriffs tried to arrest Bynoe, who had warrants in both Lehigh and Northampton counties, about 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Bynoe fled from a home on Howertown Road in Northampton, then jumped into the river at Canal Street.
The river was about 100 feet wide between the two riverbanks, and was about 20 feet deep at the time, the department said in a news release. Bynoe tried to grab a makeshift swing rope on the Lehigh County side of the river, but instead submerged into the water, which police said was moving at a “dangerously fast pace.”
A number of resources, including a drone team, diving teams and multiple fire companies, were used for several hours to try to find him, but authorities were unsuccessful.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said Monday that preliminary indications show there was no use of force by law enforcement, and that Bynoe chose to jump into the river. He said his office will continue to monitor the situation.