HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - An 11-hour traffic nightmare sparked by a man threatening to jump from a Hollywood (101) Freeway overpass ended today when the person was taken into custody, but not before confounding the morning commutes of tens of thousands of motorists.
The situation began unfolding at about 11 p.m. Monday when a man experiencing what fire officials described as a “behavioral emergency” was spotted on the Hollywood Boulevard overpass. The California Highway Patrol shut down both sides of the freeway in the area as negotiators worked to talk the man down.
The situation continued throughout the night, and as the morning commute began, traffic quickly became snarled in both directions. As commuters scrambled for alternate routes, jams were quickly reported on surrounding streets and on the Golden State (5) Freeway.
As negotiations continued, the CHP reopened a pair of southbound freeway lanes at about 9:30 a.m., providing a small amount of relief.
About 30 minutes later, the man was taken into custody, and crews scrambled to clear equipment from the freeway. By 10:20 a.m., the CHP announced that all lanes had been reopened.
Fire officials said the man was taken to a hospital for evaluation.