Police detain Costa Mesa man who appeared armed

A Costa Mesa man was placed on a psychiatric hold Sunday after motorists called police to report a man standing on the side of Fairview Road near the 405 Freeway with what at first appeared to be a handgun.

The 20-year-old man told police he was trying to kill himself by running into traffic, said Costa Mesa police Sgt. Mike Manson.

When officers arrived at 4:36 a.m., they found the man standing by Fairview with a black weapon of some type. Officers told the man to surrender, but he refused, Manson said.

Instead, he jumped and rolled down the freeway embankment, police said.

Police recovered the weapon, which turned out to be a pellet gun, in the ice plants along the freeway.

Officers eventually apprehended the man, who was taken to a local hospital on an involuntary psychiatric hold, Manson said.