LORAIN — Two men who apparently decided it was too hot Saturday morning decided to cool off — by jumping off the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge.

The men were seen jumping into the Black River shortly after 9 a.m. Saturday by a woman walking in Riverside Park, and by a man driving a pickup, police said. Both men were picked up out of the river by a rescue boat from the nearby U.S. Coast Guard station shortly after they jumped from the 33-foot-high bridge.

Neither man appeared injured and neither sought medical attention, said police. The depth of the river below the bridge is 23 feet, according to Coast Guard figures.

Walter L. Williams IV, of the 400 block of W. 12th St. in Elyria, told police he decided to jump off the bridge to get cool.

Frederick Allen May, of the 4400 block of Broadway in Lorain, told police he didn’t want to jump off the bridge, but did so because Williams, his cousin, did.

Police reports said both men appeared to be very intoxicated as they had slurred speech and had an odor of alcohol about them. Police said May admitted to being intoxicated.

Both men were charged with disorderly conduct and disorderly conduct by intoxication. Williams was also charged with obstructing official business after he refused to answer questions while police were booking him, reports said.

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