Freeways Snarled by Would-Be Jumper

A man threatening to jump off the interchange of Interstate 15 and the San Bernardino Freeway in Ontario created a major rush-hour traffic jam Monday afternoon after authorities temporarily halted traffic.

Police said a 41-year-old Monrovia man stopped his Nissan Maxima on the interchange at 1:55 p.m., and at times dangled his legs off the highest part of the overpass, said David McBride, an Ontario police spokesman.

Traffic backed up in all directions as police crisis negotiators tried to talk him down, McBride said.

At 5:12 p.m., the man returned to his car, driving onto a spike strip police set on the eastbound transition lane to the San Bernardino Freeway. A police car then shoved the car, stopping it at Etiwanda Avenue.

Officers shot the man with nonlethal beanbag pellets, then took him into custody on suspicion of felony evading arrest.

The man has a history of mental illness, McBride said.

“Two major [traffic] arteries backed up like this at rush hour ... it’s going to take a lot of time to clear,” said California Highway Patrol Officer Jesse Holguin.

Northbound Interstate 15 was closed for more than three hours. Southbound lanes remained open, but motorists could not enter the San Bernardino Freeway.

Surface streets near Ontario Mills Mall were also clogged.