Police, Fire Negotiators Persuade Man to Climb Down From Pasadena Bridge After More Than 8 Hours

[Updated]  Pasadena police and fire department negotiators persuaded a distraught man to return to safety and accept help early Friday after he spent more than eight hours perched on the ledge of the Green Street bridge over the southbound 710 Freeway in Old Pasadena, authorities said.

Negotiators responded to the scene about 11:45 p.m. Thursday after the man, estimated to be in his 40s, was spotted on the bridge, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

A Pasadena Fire Department aerial ladder truck and rescue cushion have been deployed at the scene, city spokesperson Lisa Derderian said.

The man was communicating with negotiators but would not come down from the ledge, Pasadena police Lt. Anthony Russo said. Officials cut a hole in the fencing along the bridge to make it easier for the man to return to safety.

Officials ultimately convinced the man to come down about 8 a.m., Derderian said. He was taken for a psychiatric evaluation.

“P.D. negotiators spent hours talking to him for a safe ending,” she said. “He’ll now receive professional help.”

All southbound lanes of the Long Beach Freeway south of the Foothill 210 Freeway and the transition roads from the east- and westbound Foothill and westbound Ventura 134 freeways to the southbound Long Beach Freeway were closed as the incident unfolded, the CHP said.

Northbound lanes reopened shortly after 8 a.m., and the southbound lanes reopened about 8:30 a.m., according to the CHP.

The National Suicide Hotlines are available 24/7 at 1-800 SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) and 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

Additional help is available at the Didi Hirsch 24-hour Crisis Line: 1-877-727-4747 (en Español: 1-800-628-9454); The Trevor Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386; the Trans Crisis Line: 1-877-565-8860; the Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741-741; and the People of Color Crisis Text Line: Text STEVE to 741-741.