LAVERKIN — LaVerkin Police Department effectively intervened when a man threatened to take his own life and the police officer’s on the LaVerkin bridge Sunday evening.
The man took a taxi to the area where the bridge crosses the Virgin River on state Route 9 in LaVerkin, Police Chief Lloyd Watkins said. Around 7 p.m., he climbed over the railing of the bridge, Watkins said, and when LaVerkin Police Officer Travis Romney came to the scene, the man told him that he didn’t want to live anymore.
The man claimed he had a weapon and threatened that either he or Romney would die, Watkins said. Officer Romney used a Taser on the man, thereby subduing him and he was transported to the hospital. No weapon was found on him.
Information has been sent to the Washington County Attorney’s Office, Watkins said, to determine whether charges will be filed; those officials were unavailable for comment as this report is published.
“I feel bad because obviously it’s a mental health issue but you can’t make threats to an officer and tell Officer Romney that only one of us is going to make it out alive,” Watkins said. “We aren’t going to make an arrest on it.”
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This brings back unpleasant memories of ’92. Only difference is this guy wasn’t successful in killing himself