A Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station deputy is being credited with saving the life of a man who was threatening to jump off the freeway overpass at the Lake Hughes exit in Castaic.
Thursday at approximately 8:53 a.m., Deputy Russell Deloof was driving in his patrol vehicle when he heard an emergency service call go out over his handheld radio. There was a 26-year-old man reported to be “threatening to jump” off of the overpass on the I-5 freeway.
Being close to the reported location, Deputy Deloof rushed to the scene and saw the despondent young man perched on the edge of the overpass railing. He reported that the man was staring blankly down into the fast moving freeway traffic below him, as if he was contemplating jumping.
Deputy Deloof quickly parked his patrol car, and started slowly approaching the man, calmly talking to him as he walked. The deputy told the man that “jumping was a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” As the deputy was speaking, the 26-year-old man broke his silent gaze into the traffic and started crying.
Deputy Deloof moved slowly towards the man, continually speaking to him as he walked, and extended his hand. The man grabbed his hand and Deputy Deloof gently pulled him away from the edge of the bridge.
The young man, a father of two children, said if it were not for the deputy’s kindness, he would have jumped.
Deputies transported him to a local hospital so he could get mental health care.
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52 Comments
Score +1 for the good guys. So glad those kids still have their dad.
Lindsey Gockel Nicole DeLong
Omg who?
Aww poor guy, life is hard especially when you’re a parent. I’m glad he took the officers hand, to me that is a sign he didn’t really want to do it but felt that was the answer at the time. Much love to both the father and the Deputy who helped him!
Desperation is a sad thing
Thank God- life gets hard & you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel! bless him!
great job to the deputy, hopefully the poor guy can get some help
Dude that’s so sad :( totally breaks my heart but so happy the deputy was able to save this guy.
God put that deputy in the right place and time.
All problems in life are temporary. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
This is so sad, glad he is getting the help that is needed.
What a sad thing to encounter.. Thank goodness the deputy was able to save him from jumping to his death.. I hope he’s getting much needed help for whatever he is going through. My heart goes out to him and his family.
God Bless the deputy and the man he saved
So sad but if you’re wanting to hurt yourself why take anyone else with you ?
God bless the deputy who saved that mans life hope he gets the help he needs
?
Yet it’ll never make the news!!! Great job to the LASD deputy that prevented it
WTG ???
???????
What a blessing. Thankful for this wonderful deputy and for his perfect words to this man. We will offer up prayers of thanksgiving and prayers that this man will get any help he needs and realize how his kiddos need him. Happy to hear a positive ending. ❤️
Todos felicitan al policia pero nadie se pregunta porque problemas sigue atravesando el hombre!
So glad they were there at the right time to save him, nothing is that bad that you have to take your life! But if your going to take your own life! Please don’t put others in jeopardy ? because you will survive but an innocent person/child will not! So glad your children still have a Dad!
One more star for the LASD???
Police officers are the bomb!
Awesome job officer
Thank you Deputy Deloof! I
pray this young man gets the care he needs ?
Maybe people would have a better impression of the police if the media showed THESE stories more than the negative. But that’s not how the news works unfortunately. If it bleeds it leads. But THIS story should be a headline.
Stories like this do not further the media’s agenda.
It is a shame. We would be a better society if we focused on the good in people rather than the bad.
Must have been Parker/Ridge Route or Hasley overpass because Lake Hughes road goes UNDER the freeway.
No actually not all problems are temporary. False statement “brother”
Slava Kiev
Good job!!
Maury Osorio no eras tu …
Nice work!
That’s a real small bridge
Was Jim up there again?
So sad
very sad for him. he must felt, that ,came to dead end and no way out.
many ways, we thank you, to officer.!!!!!!
How sad that people think this is the only way out. I hope everything works out for this young man. Thank you for saving him. I hope he has someone to talk to after this.
My heart aches for him. Not only have I been in his shoes…I still wear them. Sadly,, he will not get the help he needs at HMNMH. bhu.
Eric Acosta
I want to speak to all the parents of kids in their 20’s out there. My son is 22 and I know several of his friends who in the past few years (and now) are living in the wash.
Their parents threw them out because they were not working or were using drugs. I know that people say you should use tough love but I think having them out of your house and homeless in the wash does not work and can make things worse. They can become hooked on worse drugs or dead.
First of all the economy is worse now for young people and even with jobs (if they can find one) most cannot afford the rent or pass the credit app most apt’ s require. Second if they live at home you can continue to influence them and help the slowly to change their lives.
3 of my 4 kids went through issues growing up. They lived with me the whole time. They now are all living great lives.
Bring your kids home and help them before it is too late. They might abuse the opportunity but most will change as they grow up. Very few kids need to be thrown out into the wash. Help them get off drugs. If they back slide help pick them up again. No more of this stupid pull yourself up by your boot straps thing.
This 26 year old need his family to help him with issues a young dad is facing. Time for family to step in with love.
Amen.
Deputy DeLoof….you have always been an amazing young man.
And if you look at the column below, you’ll see another suicide article. Whats up with all the suicides here in Santa Clarita????
Life is not at all easy but taking the life away is not a good solution. Hope he get help on many areas such as metal and spiritual to be heal from inside out. Who knows what kind of issues is he going through but there is a light at the end of the road.
Thank you Deputy Deloof for caring, saving a beautiful life and gave thus young dad and his family hope.
Thank you Deputy Deloof. I am grateful our Sheriff’s Dept. is taking the time to learn some Crisis Intervention techniques. Thank you Captain Roosevelt. for requiring the Training. Mental Health conditions are real and all can use more education. the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Organization can help here locally with free education classes and support for families. Check it out. namisfv.org
Nice one kyle Terpening so true
Always pray for this that take risk fire our safety..