Body of Virginia Beach woman found in N.C. river

HERTFORD

The body of a Virginia Beach woman was found Sunday afternoon floating in the Perquimans River by a fisherman.

Authorities identified the woman as Gail Winston, 50, wife of Virginia Beach police officer P.J. Winston, said Perquimans County Sheriff Eric Tilley.

A passing motorist saw Gail Winston Saturday at about 3 p.m. standing at the guard rail of a bridge that rises over the Perquimans River, Tilley said. When the motorist got closer she jumped from the bridge falling about 50 feet into water that is approximately 8 feet deep. A Mazda registered to P.J. Winston was found at the foot of the bridge, he said. Her driver’s license was found in the car.

Tilley said the body was found about 4:30 p.m. Sunday floating about a mile south of the bridge, which is part of U.S. 17 bypassing the town of Hertford. He could not recall any other incident where someone had jumped from the Perquimans bridge.

Several agencies helped with the two day search including the Perquimans Sheriff’s Office, EMS, the water rescue team, Hertford Police, the North Carolina Wildlife Commission and the Sidney Dive Team from Beaufort County.