New Haven Cops Thwart Suicide: PD

NEW HAVEN, CT — A man with a reported history of mental health issues nearly committed suicide Feb. 5, but was stopped at the last minute by a police lieutenant and officer, police said.

An officer spotted a suspicious man in a vehicle and police eventually approached the car. The driver took off instead of shutting off his engine, said Officer David Hartman, police spokesman.

The car's owner had been in a recent crahs and an officer called her cell number. The woman said it was her husband operating the vehicle and that he suffers from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and was off his medications.

The woman called Officer Jocelyn Lavandier at 2:11 p.m. and said she spotted the vehicle unoccupied at the Grand Avenue bridge and that her husband was pacing back and forth. She told an officer that he has jumped off the bridge before.

Officer Matthew Stevens and Lt. David Zannelli were in the area and responded. The man reportedly told the police to shoot him and pulled a dark object and pointed it as if it were a gun, Hartman said. Stevens drew his weapon and ordered the man to drop his weapon.

The man was running to the edge when Stevens noticed the object was a cellphone.

"He and Zannelli ran at the man, tackling him before he reached the edge," Hartman said. "The man struggled to break free. He punched Stevens in the face, then Zannelli in the face. Officer Lavandier pulled up, saw them struggling with the man and drew her Taser®. The second of two stuns was effective."

The man was taken to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. He was charged with two counts of assault on a police officer, first-degree threatening and two counts of interfering with an officer.

Image via Shutterstock