Teenager dangles by her legs from freeway overpass sign in San Diego County
A possibly suicidal teen dangled upside down by her legs from a freeway overpass sign in Vista for roughly 30 minutes Wednesday evening before firefighters safely got her off the sign.
The girl, reportedly between 14 and 17 years old, was spotted hanging from the state Route 78 sign affixed to the Emerald Drive overpass about 5:10 p.m. Her arms were extended and her legs hung onto the freeway sign over the westbound lanes, witnesses and the California Highway Patrol said.
“She wasn’t flailing or communicating with the police, just dangling motionless the entire time,” said Vista resident David Grandis, who was stopped not far away on a Route 78 on-ramp. “It was a pretty surreal sight for an evening commute.”
CHP officers stopped westbound traffic on the freeway. Motorists were diverted off the freeway at Emerald, causing traffic to back up several miles, the CHP said.
A Psychiatric Emergency Response Team, comprising a mental health clinician who is paired with an officer, was sent to talk to the girl.
About 30 minutes later, firefighters got her to safety. She was taken to a hospital for an evaluation, authorities said.
All westbound lanes were reopened shortly after.
Hernandez writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune
ALSO
2 Bakersfield officers shot and suspect killed after report of a man with a gun
Georgia officer investigated after he’s caught on video saying ‘we only kill black people’
Man suspected of evading Metro fare is killed by train while trying to flee police
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
