More re Topless woman causes power outage

[Craig Leff]

In case you were wondering about the aftermath, read this excerpt:


Woman's stunt atop tower was well-planned 

by Christine Clarridge
Seattle Times staff reporter

The woman who spit fire and danced bare-breasted atop an electrical tower
at the Ship Canal Bridge yesterday morning had been planning the stunt for
weeks - even making a practice climb of the tower several nights ago. 

Ara Tripp, 38, of Olympia was arrested and jailed on misdemeanor charges
of indecent exposure and trespassing shortly before 9 a.m. after she
descended from the tower and surrendered to police. 

Tripp climbed the 150-foot tower on the Ship Canal Bridge along Interstate
5 before dawn, but waited until southbound traffic was heavy around 7:30
a.m. to take her top off. She danced, played air guitar and made flames
and smoke shoot out of her mouth. 

"She really wanted to stop traffic and get arrested," said Robin Toye, who
drove Tripp from Olympia. "She would have been disappointed if she hadn't
been. She even had her license taped to her ankle to make it easy for the
cops." 

Toye said Tripp, a post-operation transsexual with many strong opinions,
hoped the stunt would make headlines and lead to offers to appear on radio
and TV talk shows. 

Tripp was released on bail last night after spending about 12 hours in custody. 

Copyright © 1999 Seattle Times Company

Craig Leff
cleff at haleakala.jpl.nasa.gov

My opinions are my own and not those of NASA, JPL or Caltech.