Jumper on Ortega Highway Overpass Shuts Down I-5 Freeway

Summary: Emergency responders, including Orange County Fire Authority, CHP, and Sheriff's deputies, responded to a report of a single male subject threatening to jump from the Ortega Highway overpass onto the I-5 freeway in South Orange County, California. The incident prompted a full closure of both northbound and southbound lanes of the freeway, with multiple fire and rescue units staging nearby. Negotiators were deployed to communicate with the individual, while rescue teams prepared airbags and aerial ladders as precautionary measures. The command post (ICP) was established on the east side of the I-5 at Ortega Highway, later relocating to a Chevron station. The incident involved coordinated efforts between fire, law enforcement, and medical teams to ensure the safety of the subject and the public.