DETROIT — Michigan State Police used 13 big rigs to keep a man from jumping off an overpass on the I-696 freeway early Tuesday.
Chris Harrison, who claims to have been part of the “trucker wall” in a Facebook post on the Twisted Truckers page, said the act of heroism took place between 1 and 3 a.m. Tuesday, starting with one truck.
Harrison, in replying to other Facebook users, said police waved six or seven of the truckers through on the eastbound side of the freeway, then did the same thing on the westbound side.
Because of the joint effort, police said the man was reportedly talked down from the edge.
Harrison said the highway patrolman walked to each truck, shook the truckers hand and thanked each member for their contribution.
Police first heard of a man standing on the bridge that goes over the Detroit freeway at about 1 a.m. Tuesday, according to Fox2. So officers quickly put a plan in action to stop him from doing it.
Lt. Mike Shaw, a Michigan State Police spokesman, told The Detroit News that his department blocked traffic on Interstate 696 and then asked truckers who had been stopped to head for the overpass.
Police said in all 13 different trucks arrived at the scene and parked under the bridge to shorten the fall if the suicidal man decided to jump, police say.
The man decided to willingly leave the bridge and police took him to a nearby hospital for evaluation, according to Fox2.
Shaw said troopers typically work with truckers during such incidents, but it’s unusual to have so many involved. He adds there are “many other options out there aside from taking your own life.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
