Man's Threatened Jump From Antioch Bridge Follows Previous Attempt Last Month
OAKLEY (CBS SF) -- A man was taken into custody Sunday after he threatened to jump off the Antioch Bridge, his second such attempt in little over a month, according to Oakley police and the California Highway Patrol.
Around 10 a.m. Sunday, Pittsburg police notified Oakley police and other east Contra Costa County agencies to be on the lookout for an armed man on a motorcycle, Oakley police Sgt. Robert Roberts said.
Oakley police officers spotted the motorcycle traveling at speeds of about 80 mph through city streets around 10:20 a.m., Roberts said.
The officers attempted to stop the vehicle but a pursuit ensued in which the man led authorities to northbound state Highway 160 on the Antioch Bridge, according to Roberts.
The man stopped his vehicle on the bridge, climbed over the railing and threatened to jump, the sergeant said.
CHP officers also responded to the scene and negotiated with the man for about 10 to 15 minutes, Roberts said.
The officers convinced the man to go from the other side of the railing to a phone on the other side of the roadway, he said.
In the process, officers deployed a less lethal sponge round at the man and were able to grab him before he attempted to go back over the bridge, according to Roberts.
He was taken into custody and transported to a hospital as a precaution, Roberts said.
Once he is medically cleared he will be taken to Contra Costa County Jail, he said.
Northbound lanes of Highway 160 were closed until shortly after 11 a.m., CHP Ron Simmons said.
The same man attempted to jump off the Antioch Bridge on the morning of Feb. 10, when the bridge was shut down for about two hours, Oakley police and CHP officials said.
In last month's incident, officers received reports that the possibly armed man was stopped his car on northbound lanes and walked to the bridge's ledge where he threatened to jump, according to the CHP.
He was taken into custody and officers did not recover evidence confirming that he was armed, CHP officials said.
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