Putnam Deputy Talks Man Off Bridge

A Putnam County Sheriff's Deputy talked a suicidal man out of jumping off the Bear Mountain Bridge Monday. Putnam County Sheriff Robert L. Langley Jr. reported that Sheriff Deputies Benjamin Levine, Anthony Tolve, and Brian Neary responded to the bridge at 3:56 p.m.

Deputy Levine located the man on the north side of the bridge, staring down over the railing toward the Hudson River, stating over and over that he wanted to die.

Deputy Levine began a conversation. After about 25 minutes, the man agreed to step back from the bridges railing. Taken into custody by Deputy Levine and New York State Trooper Ed Fleming, without incident, the man was transported by Peekskill Volunteer Ambulance Corp to Phelps Memorial Hospital, for mental health observation.

In addition to Fleming and the other deputy sheriffs, Deputy Levine was assisted by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Marine Unit, New York State Trooper Investigator Andrew Palladino, Westchester County Police, New York State Park Police, Town of Highlands Police, Peekskill Volunteer Ambulance Corp, Continental Village Fire Department, and the New York State Bridge Authority.