Authorities say four sheriff’s deputies saved the life of a man who was armed and threatening suicide, leading to an hours-long standoff in Beach Park Thursday evening.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 11 p.m. Thursday to the area of Beach Avenue and North Avenue in Beach Park for a report of a hit-and-run crash.
Sheriff’s deputies determined the vehicle involved in the crash sustained heavy front-end damage, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
Deputies checked the area and found the vehicle near Chaplin Avenue and Geraghty Avenue in Beach Park.
The driver of the vehicle, a 45-year-old man, was injured inside.
He was holding a pair of sharp scissors to his throat and threatening self-harm, Covelli said.
Lake County sheriff’s deputies John Forlenza, Roxana Stancioiu, Robert Wysocki and Kyle Kenna spent nearly two hours using crisis intervention skills to communicate with the man in a “tense and fragile situation,” Covelli said.
Covelli said the deputies’ “dedication, patience, and expertise” ultimately led to the man dropping the scissors and exiting the vehicle into their care.
The man was safely transported to an area hospital for medical care and a mental health admission.
Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg called the incident an example of what “protecting the community is all about.”
“Our deputies truly care about the people we serve, and it’s routine for them – and law enforcement across Lake County – to go above and beyond, putting themselves in harm’s way to save lives,” Idleburg said.
“The deputies took the time to help a man in crisis to get the support he needs. Their courage and compassion exemplify the best of what it means to serve and protect,” Idleburg said.