Freeway Closed for Suicidal Motorist

A stretch of the Garden Grove Freeway had to be closed in both directions for more than two hours Sunday morning as police talked a despondent 25-year-old motorist out of committing suicide.

The man, a resident of Santa Ana, was driving east on the freeway about 9:45 a.m. when he pulled over to the center divider east of The City Drive, said Orange Police Lt. Timm Browne.

The man held a large knife “to his stomach and chest area,” said Browne, “then walked into the eastbound lanes of traffic, stopping all traffic.”

A massive traffic snarl resulted, said California Highway Patrol officers, who closed both sides of the freeway from The City Drive to Harbor Boulevard while a crisis intervention counselor from the Orange Police Department talked to the man, who eventually gave up the knife about 11:45 a.m.

Traffic was rerouted to surface streets, which were already in heavy use from morning services at the nearby Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove and a special swap meet at The City Shopping Center.

The man, apparently depressed over a breakup with his girlfriend, was taken to UCI Medical Center, authorities said.