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Officers, motorist save man threatening to jump from College Park overpass

By Christopher King
Published  July 21, 2022 11:47pm EDT
College Park
FOX 5 Atlanta

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. - This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Officers, civilian help man in distress on I-85 overpass

A man who was threatening suicide, sitting on top of an overpass along I-85 in College Park was rescued by two quick-thinking officers and a motorist passing by.

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. – Some quick-thinking police officers and a brave civilian possibly save a man’s life. They saved a man from jumping off a bridge overlooking Interstate 85.

It happened over the weekend, not far from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

College Park police pulled a man off a bridge, preventing him from jumping, at the very least sparing him from serious injury, possibly saving his life.

FOX 5’s Christopher King spoke exclusively with those the heroic officers.

"He’s on top of the bridge with his legs over the edge of the bridge," said Lt. Cody Smith. "He was just making indications he wanted to harm himself."

Smith and his partner, Officer Larry Stalling, last Sunday got several calls of a man on the overpass at Airport Boulevard overlooking the highway near Atlanta’s airport.

"They felt he was contemplating suicide," Smith said.

The pair of police officers tried to talk the man down.

"He was looking over to see if the vehicles were coming and for a place to jump," Smith said, but added he wouldn’t budge. "We need to save this guy."

Police shut down the highway. Smith, his partner and a quick-thinking civilian launched into action.

"Grabbed onto him, used our weight to pull him down and pull him off the bridge," Smith explained. "We got him down to the ground and he was still set on jumping off the bridge."

They pulled him off the bridge to safety.

"He certainly could’ve died," Smith said.

Smith is gratified his partner and the Good Samaritan helped him rescue a man at his lowest moment from a dire fate.

"I don’t know what he’s going through, but we need to save him. My heart goes out to him," Smith said.

Police thank that passing motorist.

An ambulance took the man to a hospital for psychological evaluation.