PRUNEDALE – Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers rescued a man threatening to jump from a bridge in Prunedale on Saturday.
A press release from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said the officers received a call around 11:30 a.m. reporting a suicidal individual on the San Miguel Canyon Road overpass above Highway 101.
Southbound Highway 101 was temporarily closed as personnel from Crisis Intervention Services, North County Fire District and American Medical Response responded to the scene.
Attempts to locate rescue airbags across local agencies were unsuccessful, leaving negotiators no choice but to reason with the man, the release states.
Despite efforts by CHP Officers T. Duckworth and J. Simonian, along with Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Hostage Negotiator Deputy Osuna and Deputy Cosio, the individual remained on the railing of the bridge, ready to jump, for around two hours.
Cosio took decisive action when the individual repositioned himself and began to look down while praying as if ready to jump, grabbing the man and pulling him away from the edge with the assistance of Osuna, Duckworth and Simonian.
The man was subsequently transferred to Natividad Medical Center, where he was placed on 5150 hold.
According to a statement by Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Tina Nieto commended the deputies and CHP officers for their swift and courageous actions.
