Man, Woman Leap Onto Freeway in Apparent Suicides

A man and a woman were killed Tuesday evening when they plunged from the Los Angeles Street overpass to the eastbound Hollywood Freeway in the Los Angeles Civic Center area in what at least one witness said appeared to be a double suicide.

“They were both sitting on the (guard) rail and talking to each other, acting kind of crazy,” said Raymond Oppenheim, 37, who was walking across the bridge. “I looked back when I heard this squeal of brakes and they had jumped. I should have stopped them.”

Traffic was backed up for several miles on the eastbound Hollywood Freeway from shortly after 7 p.m., but California Highway Patrol officers kept one lane open. A Sigalert was lifted at 8:50 p.m.

Witnesses’ Reports

A CHP spokeswoman said both victims were struck by the same car, but witnesses said the man was struck by at least two vehicles.

One of the cars was that of Tina and Tuan Nguyen of Houston, who are on vacation. Tina Nguyen said all she knew was that “something hit the hood.” The front end of their new Toyota was slightly damaged.

In the car behind the Nguyens were Anthony Gillson, 21, and Mandy Lopez, both of San Diego. Gillson said the figures seemed to be close together as they fell and bounced up from the pavement as they were struck.

Los Angeles police detectives said the unidentified couple appeared to be in their 40s or 50s, but condition of the bodies made it difficult to tell.

The man was dead at the scene. The woman was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where she was declared dead.