Possible Suicide Attempt Averted; I-8 Briefly Closed at Midafternoon

A man stood on the edge of the Alvarado Road overpass of Interstate 8 Saturday afternoon as if he were about to jump to his death, prompting the closure of the freeway through La Mesa, but he eventually walked away, the California Highway Patrol reported.

CHP officers received a call around 2:45 p.m. reporting that a man with his arms outstretched was standing outside a chain link fence on the Alvarado bridge looking down on Interstate 8 traffic below as several bystanders tried to coax him to safety, according to the CHP.

Lanes on both sides of the interstate were closed near Baltimore Drive for about 10 minutes while police and ambulances rushed to the scene, but the man left the bridge of his own volition around 3:10 p.m. and was taken to a local hospital, the CHP said.

City News Service contributed to this report.