Deputy stops man from jumping off Bayside Bridge

The Bayside Bridge was closed Monday night while a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy talked a man out of jumping off the bridge, authorities said today.

Jamie Gonzalez-Victoria, 29, of Clearwater had driven his car toward the center of the bridge on the southbound lanes and had threatened to jump. Because Gonzalez-Victoria spoke only Spanish, sheriff's officials brought in Deputy Jose Camacho.

Gonzalez-Victoria told Camacho he was having problems in his marriage and could not see his children. At one point, he slipped under the bridge on a catwalk, got ready to jump and was hanging on by just a pipe, officials said.

After about two hours he surrendered and was taken to a medical facility for a mental health evaluation. No one was hurt during the incident, which lasted from about 8:30 to 11:10 p.m.

- Times staff writer