18-year-old seen on video pushing her friend off 60-foot bridge pleads not guilty
An 18-year-old captured on video pushing her friend off a 60-foot bridge, leaving her with multiple injuries, pleaded not guilty in a packed courtroom Friday.
Taylor Smith, 18, is charged with reckless endangerment in the incident involving 16-year-old Jordan Holgerson, who plunged off the bridge Aug. 7 over the Lewis River at Moulton Falls Regional Park near Vancouver, Washington.
She fell the equivalent of three stories before belly-flopping into the water below.
Holgerson suffered "significant injuries" including six broken ribs, a punctured lung and air bubbles in her chest, authorities said.
"I accept the charges maturely and all I can do is hope for the best for Jordan and myself," Smith told ABC News last month.
Reckless endangerment in Washington state is a gross misdemeanor carrying a maximum time of 364 days in jail and a maximum fine of $5,000.
Smith is on supervised release. She cannot leave the area and cannot have contact with Holgerson.
She is set to return to court Dec. 4.
Smith told "Good Morning America" last month that she immediately reached out to Holgerson after the incident and "apologized several times," and even tried to visit her in the hospital but was "asked to leave."
Holgerson has since stopped communicating with her, Smith said.
The two were "pretty close" friends for years, she added.
"I love that girl," Smith said in the interview. "I never intended to hurt her ever, nor would I intend to hurt anyone. I'm really sorry it turned out that way. I just pray that she heals and gets better."
ABC News' Michael Harris contributed to this report.
