Man on bridge brings I-5 traffic to a stop

PORTLAND, Ore. - Authorities shut down all southbound lanes of the Interstate Bridge for several hours Sunday afternoon before police were able to take a man into custody who was threatening to jump into the Columbia River below.

The man, who was not immediately identified, was driving south over the bridge sometime before 4 p.m. when he stopped his vehicle and got out, according to Sgt. Mike Marshman, a Portland police spokesman. Witnesses reported seeing him with a knife and a bow and arrow, he said. It took police hours to negotiate with the man, who eventually surrendered without a struggle about 7:30 p.m., Marshman said. He was not sure whether police found weapons on the man.

The man will likely be charged with disorderly conduct but more charges could be forthcoming, Marshman said.

Traffic ground to a halt on the bridge during the incident, with some people getting out of their parked vehicles on the southbound span while awaiting a resolution. Eventually, police turned around all vehicles stuck on that side, sending them back to Vancouver and keeping the southbound lanes free of traffic. The southbound lanes of the bridge were reopened shortly before 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, northbound I-5 traffic remained open throughout the incident, though a significant backup developed in north Portland that stretched for miles.

During the incident, southbound I-5 traffic was detoured onto SR14, where drivers could take Interstate 205 and the Glenn Jackson Bridge into Oregon.