Despondent Man Talked Off Colorado Street Bridge Outer Ledge

Pasadena Police officers succeeded in talking a 45-year-old man down from the dangerous outer ledge of the Colorado Street Bridge past midnight last night, preventing what could have been another tragic suicide.

Lt. Pete Hettema said the police department received the first call about the incident at about 12:19 a.m., after a private citizen flagged down a police vehicle to report about a man who was on the outside ledge of the bridge.

When officers arrived on scene, they saw a man standing outside the guardrail of the bridge, and immediately went into action.

“Officers engaged the despondent man in supportive discussion for over an hour and a half until the man voluntarily returned from the outside ledge of the bridge,” Hettema said. “Officers later transported the man to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation.”

Hettema said Pasadena Fire Department officers also responded to the scene in a joint effort with police.

“The diligent effort of our first responders brought this incident to a safe conclusion,” Hettema added.

The Colorado Street Bridge was temporarily closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic until the situation was resolved.