California Highway Patrol closes roadway when a driver puts a sword to his own throat

A Fresno man threatening suicide refused to get out of his car and instead put a sword to this throat, forcing the California Highway Patrol to close a state roadway for about four hours late Wednesday night.

The incident happened about 8:30 p.m. on Highway 41, north of Oakhurst and south of Road 630 in Madera County.

A 26-year-old man was speeding in his Saturn and appeared to be driving while intoxicated, so a CHP officer tried to pull him over. But the man kept driving north until the car wound up in a ditch.

The man was the only person in the car, did not appear to be injured and wouldn’t get out, the CHP reported. He put a sword to his throat and threatened to hurt himself, so the CHP closed the highway.

With help from the Madera County Sheriff’s Department, he was taken into custody under a law for people experiencing mental problems.

This story was originally published December 21, 2017 at 6:40 PM with the headline "California Highway Patrol closes roadway when a driver puts a sword to his own throat."