CAPITOLA — A man threatening suicide from the Capitola Avenue bridge over Highway 1 led to the closure of the highway in both directions Wednesday at noon.
Emergency dispatchers initially got a report of a man who had climbed over the rail on Capitola Avenue above the southbound lanes.
The California Highway Patrol teamed up with Capitola Police and Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies in closing down Highway 1 and Capitola Avenue in order to secure the area and deal with the man.
The Sheriff’s Office rapidly ushered in a trained negotiator to start up a dialogue with the person.
A crew from Central Fire and American Medical Response, meanwhile, staged nearby in case of an emergency rescue.
By 12:34 p.m. a deputy reported that the man was persuaded to come off the bridge and that he was safely detained.
Lunch hour traffic quickly stacked up in both directions as the ordeal unfolded.
By 12:40 p.m., officials reopened the highway.
