The man did not say why he wanted to jump, police said.
AUSTINTOWN — A township man who threatened to jump off the bridge at state Route 46 and Interstate 80 Thursday afternoon fell about 15 feet and was taken to the hospital.
Edmon Godwin, 42, of Wilcox Road, was listed in stable condition at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Paramedics believed he had two broken legs and possibly a fractured skull, Lt. Bryan Kloss of the Austintown Police Department said.
Kloss, who was at the scene as Godwin clung to the side of the bridge, said it wasn't clear whether he let go on purpose or lost his grip before he fell onto I-80 below. "It looked like he lost his grip," the township officer added.
Kloss said Godwin's wife and employer were there along with a negotiator from the police department to try to talk him out of jumping.
The negotiator was chief of detectives Robert Schaeffer, who was called to the scene from vacation, Kloss said. Schaeffer was not available for comment.
Kloss said that to his knowledge, Godwin did not give a reason for his actions.
Lt. Chris Heverly of the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Canfield Post was also at the scene. He said Godwin gave no indication as to why he wanted to jump off the bridge.
"The negotiator tried to talk to him and calm him down," Heverly said. "He was like, 'Get away from me' and didn't want to talk to anyone."
What happened
Kloss said the department got a call around 2:30 p.m. that a man was on the wrong side of the freeway fence where Route 46 crosses over I-80. He was standing on a small ledge.
When police arrived, he began threatening to jump, Kloss said.
Police stopped all freeway traffic because they didn't want Godwin to fall to the road below and be run over, Kloss added.
The fire department raised an aerial ladder. But at about 3:50 p.m., Godwin fell, Kloss said.
The police department will confer with the Mahoning County prosecutor's office about charges against Godwin, Kloss said. He said he's not sure what charges would be filed, but disorderly conduct is likely to be one of them.
The standoff caused major traffic jams on the highways around Austintown and on Mahoning Avenue and Route 46.