2nd Bridge Incident Prompts Response from Multiple Agencies in Gadsden

Gadsden — Emergency responders were called to the eastbound side of the J. Herbert Meighan Bridge Thursday morning after reports of a man experiencing a mental health crisis and threatening to jump.

The Gadsden Police Department reports that patrol units, along with several specialty units, responded to the scene. Members of the Joint Special Operations Group Crisis Negotiation Team also arrived and engaged the individual in dialogue.

During the incident, the man had moved over the bridge railing, prompting a coordinated response involving law enforcement, fire personnel, and emergency medical services. Gadsden Fire Department crews assisted on scene, with firefighters utilizing rescue harnesses and a boat staged in the Coosa River as a precaution in case a water rescue became necessary.

Negotiators were ultimately able to successfully communicate with the individual and persuade him to return safely over the railing. He was then taken to receive appropriate medical and mental health care.

In a statement, the Gadsden Police Department expressed appreciation for the Gadsden Fire Department’s swift response and professionalism during the incident.

Officials also used the opportunity to remind the public that help is available for those in crisis. Anyone experiencing a mental health emergency, or who knows someone who is, is urged to call 911. The department also noted the availability of a local mental health crisis line at (256) 716-1000.

The incident marks the second emergency response involving the Meighan Bridge in recent days, following a separate vehicle-related incident earlier in the week in which a truck went off the bridge into the Coosa River. That driver was also reported to have been suffering from a mental health crisis.

https://weisradio.com/2026/04/28/18-wheeler-tanker-plunges-from-meighan-bridge-into-coosa-river/