Man on bridge climbs to safety

Less than three weeks after a 20-hour standoff on the Monroe Street Bridge ended in a man’s death, Spokane police were once again dealing with a possible jumper Wednesday night.

This time, the man went a diifferent direction, toward safety.

About 9:45 p.m., a passer-by reported a man on the south end of the bridge on the wrong side of the east railing, standing on the ledge.

Police made contact with the man and, just like standoff that began July 26, closed the bridge in both directions and called in negotiators, a dive team, a chaplain and paramedics. About 25 onlookers gathered.

Officer Steve Arredondo said he was the first to approach the man, described as in his 40s and holding a cell phone.

Arredondo said the man talked of jumping but didn’t say why. The man did not mention the July incident, Arredondo said.

After about an hour, the man climbed over the railing to safety, and officers handcuffed him. He was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center to speak with a mental health professional, which is standard procedure for suicidal subjects, Sgt. Jason Reynolds said.

Traffic resumed shortly thereafter.

Beginning on July 26, a 28-year-old man who had been released three days earlier from Western State Hospital spent 20 hours on the ledge of the bridge.

After negotiators persuaded him to come off the ledge, officers attempted to Taser him, but only one probe made contact. The man got back on the railing and jumped, landing on the rocks below.

The man, who called himself Josh Levy, had threatened suicide several times before and had jumped from three bridges.