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LOS ANGELES --
Two Orange County deputies and a California Highway Patrol officer jumped onto the outer ledge of a freeway overpass Monday to save a woman who was threatening to jump.
The rescue occurred on the Alicia Parkway overpass above the southbound 5 Freeway in Laguna Hills.
Authorities said the 22-year-old woman was standing on a three-inch wide ledge and holding on to the overpass' fence. Responding CHP officer Robert Rand said he used his cruiser to block the overpass after he noticed the woman.
"When I responded, I saw the woman was hysterical," Rand said. "She was grabbing on with her fingers. It seemed like she was threatening to jump if anybody got closer to her.
"I blocked the onramp with my patrol car. When I got back, I saw deputies trying to hold her."
Rand and Deputy Mark Wehrli scaled along the outer ledge, about 50 feet above the freeway, to reach the woman.
"I was hooked onto the fence with my right arm and holding onto her with my left," said Wehrli.
Deputy Brian Gunsolley was inside the fence, holding on to the woman. He said he jumped over the fence when he realized the woman might push away from the ledge.
"You just don't think," he said. "You're focused on the moment, focused on saving a life and to overcome the problem we had.
"Even with all three of us holding on, she was still slipping from us. We were seconds away from her dropping. She pushed away with her feet, and she stiffened enough that we were able to push her up against the fence and hold her until the fire department came.
"We wouldn't have been able to do it if it wasn't for the officers on the other side holding on to us. I lost all strength in that grip and he wasn't letting go. It was teamwork."
Firefighters used a ladder truck to reach the Rand, the two deputies and the woman. She was transported to Mission Hospital.
"When it was over, I looked up and realized just how high up it was," Wehrli said. "I've never been in a situation like that before. Any other deputy would have done the same thing."
Story From: knbc.com
Two Orange County deputies and a California Highway Patrol officer jumped onto the outer ledge of a freeway overpass Monday to save a woman who was threatening to jump.
The rescue occurred on the Alicia Parkway overpass above the southbound 5 Freeway in Laguna Hills.
Authorities said the 22-year-old woman was standing on a three-inch wide ledge and holding on to the overpass' fence. Responding CHP officer Robert Rand said he used his cruiser to block the overpass after he noticed the woman.
"When I responded, I saw the woman was hysterical," Rand said. "She was grabbing on with her fingers. It seemed like she was threatening to jump if anybody got closer to her.
"I blocked the onramp with my patrol car. When I got back, I saw deputies trying to hold her."
Rand and Deputy Mark Wehrli scaled along the outer ledge, about 50 feet above the freeway, to reach the woman.
"I was hooked onto the fence with my right arm and holding onto her with my left," said Wehrli.
Deputy Brian Gunsolley was inside the fence, holding on to the woman. He said he jumped over the fence when he realized the woman might push away from the ledge.
"You just don't think," he said. "You're focused on the moment, focused on saving a life and to overcome the problem we had.
"Even with all three of us holding on, she was still slipping from us. We were seconds away from her dropping. She pushed away with her feet, and she stiffened enough that we were able to push her up against the fence and hold her until the fire department came.
"We wouldn't have been able to do it if it wasn't for the officers on the other side holding on to us. I lost all strength in that grip and he wasn't letting go. It was teamwork."
Firefighters used a ladder truck to reach the Rand, the two deputies and the woman. She was transported to Mission Hospital.
"When it was over, I looked up and realized just how high up it was," Wehrli said. "I've never been in a situation like that before. Any other deputy would have done the same thing."
Story From: knbc.com