Adairsville Police responded to the State Route 140 overpass at I-75 on Sunday at around 10:30 in regards to a man on the ledge. Officers did observe a man on the outside of the ledge of the overpass.
The man did not want to talk to officers and warned them not to approach him. One officer continued to talk to the man while another quickly went into action, working to change the environment to minimize the chances of the man getting hurt.
The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office assisted by blocking the southbound lanes of traffic while the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office worked at getting the northbound lanes blocked. Due to the man being closer to the southbound side, Gordon County Deputies worked at getting semi-trailer trucks to stop under the overpass to lessen the distance the man would fall if he did jump.
The man eventually went back over the ledge in an apparent attempt to move further along the overpass. Both Adairsville Police officers sprang into action, quickly closed on him, and tackled him without further incident. He was transported to Cartersville Medical Center for further treatment and evaluation.
Chief Mike Jones commended both officers, the Bartow and Gordon County Sheriff’s Office departments, and the drivers of the semi-trailer trucks for their actions and assistance. Jones stated that his department’s training as certified Crisis Intervention Officers was a contributing factor in the successful outcome of this incident.