Man On Golden Gate Bridge Tower Apprehended After Traffic Stopped
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - A suicidal man who evaded police after climbing onto the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge was captured Friday morning, but not before traffic on the span was shut down two separate times as police searched for the man.
The first shutdown began at 8:27 a.m. near the Alexander Avenue exit on the Marin County side of the bridge, California Highway Patrol Officer James Evans said.
By 8:50 a.m. the CHP said there had been no arrest and traffic in both directions had resumed, but the sidewalks remained closed.
KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:
Shortly after 9:30 a.m. traffic was shut down a second time in both directions. Within a few minutes, the CHP confirmed the man was apprehended without incident and traffic was resumed again.
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He was spotted around 6:15 p.m. Thursday on the cabling of the bridge, but went above the fog line and was no longer visible after the CHP last had contact with him around 8 p.m., CHP Sgt. Diana McDermott said.
The fog that had obscured visibility for authorities overnight slightly lifted around 8:30 a.m. Friday. The span was shut down for about 10 minutes to allow the CHP to search the bridge's north tower, McDermott said. The person was not found during that search.
He came down briefly but climbed back up after officers approached him.
The officers apparently lost track of him in the thick overnight fog, and his whereabouts remained unknown until his capture Friday morning.
The bridge sidewalks were closed Thursday evening and until about 10 a.m. Friday, McDermott said. For pedestrians and bicyclists trying to cross the bridge, officials were at both ends of the span to call for shuttles to carry passengers across, McDermott said.
"We appreciate the support of the public," the sergeant said.
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