Highway 240 shut down in Kennewick when man threatens to jump from overpass

The eastbound lanes of Highway 240 in Kennewick were shut down briefly Wednesday afternoon after police feared a man was about to jump off an overpass.

Kennewick police were called about 3:35 p.m. to check on a man seen standing outside the railing of the Edison Street overpass at Highway 240, said a news release.

Once officers arrived the man threatened to jump if they got too close.

They asked the Washington State Patrol to divert traffic headed east on the highway while crisis negotiators with the Tri-City Regional SWAT team responded and talked with the man.

After a short time, they were able to get him to come back over the railing, where he was safely detained and taken to an area hospital for evaluation, said the release.