A man was observing Highway 365 from the side of the Highway 385 bridge near Cornelia on Thursday morning. Joey Newkirk, a Cornelia police officer, realized something was up when he arrived at the bridge at 7:26 a.m.
According to Newkirk, he was undoubtedly experiencing a crisis.
The individual had his foot on the ledge wall, the Cornelia Police Department said in a press release. The man cautiously lowered his foot from the wall once Newkirk had gone up to him and started speaking.
The man told the officer that he wanted to leap from the bridge and disappear as Newkirk attempted to defuse the situation. He calmed the man down by talking to him further. Newkirk was able to shake the man’s hand and gently guide him away from the bridge’s edge as their relationship deepened.
Newkirk remarked, “I suppose he was just having a rough day.” I persuaded him to change his mind and directed him to a place where he could receive assistance.
The man requested to be transported to the Gainesville hospital. Habersham EMS assisted in getting him there.
One traffic lane on GA 385 was stopped by law enforcement until the situation was defused.
Training kicked in
According to Newkirk, he was ready to assist the man in making the decision to leave the bridge.
All of us have received crisis intervention training to help those with mental health problems. He claimed that we are able to speak with them and provide them with the assistance they require. State legislation mandates this instruction.
The press announcement stated that the man that Newkirk rescued had a Vermont identification card. Due to privacy concerns, the police department eventually withdrew his identity from its news statement. Habersham has now decided not to make his name public.
Officer Newkirk’s actions were commended by Cornelia Police Chief Jonathan Roberts.
He stated, “Joey did a fantastic job, and I am so proud of her.”
Chief Roberts expressed gratitude to the other responding agencies for their assistance and response, especially the Cornelia Fire Department, EMS, and the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.
All of the officers and assistant officers adhered to their training. He claimed that they remained in the back, stopped traffic, and made the area as calm and devoid of distractions as possible. That is equally as significant as what Joey said. What a fantastic job the men and women who responded today did!
Help is available if you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis. Visit the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline website at https://988lifeline.org or give 988 a call or text.
