A suicidal man on the East 39th Street overpass in Vancouver led to an hourslong shutdown of Interstate 5 and backed up traffic for miles Friday evening.
Emergency responders were sent to the overpass and the freeway underneath the overpass around 6 p.m. While crisis negotiators with the Vancouver Police Department talked with the man, who was threatening to jump off the overpass, Washington State Patrol troopers blocked traffic on the freeway.
Tractor-trailers, fire engines and a cherry picker were moved underneath the overpass in case the man jumped.
Southbound traffic was backed up to Hazel Dell and diverted to Main Street, while northbound traffic that backed up into north Portland was diverted to state Highway 500, said Trooper Will Finn.
Freeway access from East 39th Street was temporarily shut down, as well.
Electronic message boards along the freeway warned motorists about the closures, which helped lessen traffic woes as the night went on.
Vancouver City Councilor Anne McEnerny-Ogle saw the man as she was heading east on 39th Street to go to dinner. His car was in the middle of the street and he was sitting at the edge of the road, facing his car.
“His car was pretty banged up,” she said.
Assuming he was having car trouble and waiting for a tow truck, she kept driving. But, when she saw police cars and ambulances pass her going the other direction, she knew something must have been wrong.
Vancouver police Sgt. Spencer Harris said police were able to talk the man off the edge of the bridge and detained him around 8:45 p.m. He was transported to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation, Harris said. Troopers reopened the freeway shortly before 9 p.m.
“I’m glad they were able to protect him and give him the help he needs,” McEnerny-Ogle said.
