IRWINDALE — A police officer pulled a man to safety Saturday as he sat poised with one leg already over the edge of a freeway overpass in an apparent suicide attempt, authorities said.
Witnesses called police about 10:45 a.m. to report a man on the Arrow Highway overpass of the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway was climbing over the railing, Irwindale police Sgt. Greg Gomez said.
Officer Diego Cornejo was the first to arrive on the overpass, the sergeant said.
“When he went on scene, he did not have lights or sirens on as to not frighten the subject,” Gomez said.
The officer had already exited his car and was approaching the man, later determined to be a Montclair resident in his 50s, when he spotted the officer, Gomez said.
“The subject started to place one of his legs over the railing,” Gomez said. “The officer acted quickly and grabbed him.”
After pulling the man back onto the overpass, officials took him for a psychiatric evaluation, he said.