Jumper Threat Stalls Traffic for Hours

A man who stood on a ledge of the Bay Bridge for two hours Saturday  afternoon was taken into custody by the California Highway Patrol and then  transported to a hospital to be evaluated, an officer said.

The man was on the bridge just past the Treasure Island exit  threatening to jump, as the two right lanes of the bridge were blocked by  rescue crews and traffic backed up well into MacArthur Maze.

A witness said she saw him climb at about 2:45 p.m. onto the ledge  of the upper deck of the bridge's western span, near far right lane.

"We thought he was just going to go to the call box, and then he  kept going onto the ledge," the witness said.

The CHP got the call about the man at about 2:40 p.m. Units  arrived to the man about 10 minutes later, CHP Officer Tony Tam said.

A negotiator arrived to talk with the man. After a couple hours,  the man was taken into custody without incident and then transported to San  Francisco General Hospital.

"We don't know why he was up there. We don't know if he was  suicidal," Tam said.

It is unknown whether the man was under the influence of alcohol  or drugs. Pending the outcome of an investigation he may face criminal  charges, Tam said.

In addition to the CHP, the San Francisco Fire Department and  Oakland police responded.
 

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