On Thursday morning, a man stood by the edge of the Highway 385 bridge in Cornelia overlooking Highway 365. Cornelia police officer Joey Newkirk arrived at the bridge at 7:26 a.m. and knew something was wrong.
“He was definitely in a crisis,” Newkirk said.
According to a press release from the Cornelia Police Department, the man had his foot on the ledge wall. Once Newkirk approached the man and began talking to him, he slowly lowered his foot from the wall.
As Newkirk tried to deescalate the situation, the man told the officer that he “wanted to jump from the bridge and vanish.” He continued to talk to the man and put him at ease. As Newkirk’s rapport grew with the man, he was able to shake his hand and ease him away from the edge of the bridge.
“I guess he was just having a bad day,” Newkirk said. “I got him to reconsider what he was about to do and sent him to where he could be helped.”
The man said he “wanted to be taken to the hospital in Gainesville.” He was sent there with the help of Habersham EMS.
Law enforcement blocked one traffic lane on GA 385 as the situation was de-escalated.
Training kicked in
Newkirk said he was well prepared to help the man choose to step away from the bridge.
“We’re all trained in crisis intervention to deal with people who are having mental [health] issues. We know how to talk to them and get them the help they need,” he said. This training is required by state law.”
According to the press release, the man Newkirk saved had an I.D. card from Vermont. The police department initially named him in its press release, but later removed his name due to privacy concerns. Now Habersham has chosen not to release his name.
Cornelia Police Chief Jonathan Roberts praised Officer Newkirk for his actions.
“Joey did an amazing job, and I couldn’t be more proud,” he said.
Chief Roberts thanked the other responding agencies, including the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, EMS, and Cornelia Fire Department, for responding and helping with the situation.
“Every officer and deputy followed their training. They stayed back, blocked traffic, kept the scene as quiet and stimulation-free as possible,” he said. “That is just as important as the words Joey spoke. The men and women who responded today did an outstanding job!”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline website at https://988lifeline.org.Â
