Police: Tourist dies from fall near Savannah River

As of Friday, March 16, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Gwinnett Daily Post

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Kentucky man died in Savannah after he somehow fell over a handrail onto the old stones paving the pedestrian walkways near the city's historic riverfront, police said.

Douglas Welch, 57, of Nicholasville, Ky., was killed in the fall, which happened at about 12:30 a.m. Friday, Savannah-Chatham County police said.

Thousands of tourists are packing Savannah for the city's St. Patrick's Day celebration this weekend, and the riverfront in the downtown historic district is a favorite spot for tourists. It wasn't known whether he was visiting Savannah for St. Patrick's Day or for some other reason. Police said he was a salesman in the aviation industry.

Welch fell from the top of a stairway onto Factors' Walk, a stone-paved promenade at the bottom of a steep bluff where downtown Savannah stands about 40 feet above the Savannah River, authorities said.

He was walking down the stairs alone, and apparently lost his footing. He fell from about half way down to the cobblestones below, police said.

Gwinnett Daily Post