A scary incident unfolded on a busy freeway in Arizona when two people jumped off a bridge during a traffic stop and suffered serious injuries.
This happened on Thursday, May 30, near the Loop 202 and 24th Street in Phoenix. The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed the details and said the investigation is still ongoing.
According to DPS officials, a trooper tried to pull over a red SUV around 3 p.m. The vehicle reportedly had no license plates, which immediately raised concerns. Instead of stopping, the SUV kept driving, leading the trooper on a short pursuit.
After a brief chase, the driver finally pulled over near the Salt River Bridge. That’s when things took a surprising and dangerous turn.
Officials said two people inside the SUV suddenly got out and ran toward the edge of the freeway bridge. Before anyone could stop them, they jumped off the bridge and fell into the canal below.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene. Both individuals who jumped were found in the canal area and were seriously injured from the fall.
They were rushed to a local hospital for treatment. As of now, no updates have been given about their current condition, but officials confirmed they were in serious shape when taken in.
One of the biggest questions in the investigation is why the pair chose to run and jump. DPS has not said what led them to take such an extreme step. The identities of the two people have also not been released, and it is unclear if they are facing any charges at this point.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety continues to investigate the case and has not shared whether any weapons or illegal substances were found in the vehicle. It is also not clear how high the fall was from the bridge to the canal, but based on the reported injuries, it was a significant drop.
Witnesses who were on the freeway at the time described the scene as shocking. “It was like something out of a movie,” one commuter told local news reporters. “I just saw two people suddenly run and jump off the side of the bridge. I didn’t know what to think.”
Authorities closed down parts of the freeway for several hours as they worked to secure the area, investigate the scene, and provide medical aid. Traffic was backed up for quite some time, and drivers were told to take alternate routes while the investigation was underway.
Incidents like this are rare, but they raise important questions about how people react in high-pressure situations, especially during police stops.
The DPS has reminded the public that fleeing from police or making sudden, dangerous choices can have serious and life-threatening consequences.
According to officials, the driver and passenger may have believed they could escape by jumping, but instead, their actions put their lives at great risk. While the investigation is still open, this incident serves as a warning about the unpredictable nature of police encounters and how they can escalate quickly.
This isn’t the first time a traffic stop in Arizona has ended with unexpected outcomes, but jumping from a bridge into a canal is highly unusual.
Police say they are reviewing body camera footage, dashcam video, and possibly surveillance footage from nearby areas to better understand what happened and why the individuals made such a decision.
The bridge where this happened, near 24th Street and Loop 202, is known to be high off the ground. Though the canal below has water, it doesn’t provide much protection from the impact of a fall. Emergency personnel had to respond quickly to prevent the situation from becoming even worse.
No other injuries were reported, and no police officers were hurt in the incident. As of now, authorities have not released any information about possible charges related to fleeing, obstruction, or other violations.
The public is being asked to avoid speculation until the investigation is complete. Officials are urging anyone who may have seen the event unfold or has relevant video footage to contact DPS to assist with the investigation.
Arizona DPS continues to handle numerous traffic stops across the state each day, but this case stands out because of how dangerously it unfolded. Officers are trained to manage situations calmly and with care, but unexpected actions like jumping from a bridge make things harder to control.
Meanwhile, the community is left wondering what could have caused such fear or desperation that made two people jump off a bridge during a routine police stop. Mental health, criminal records, or fear of arrest could be factors, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
The story has received widespread attention across local and national media, especially because of the dramatic nature of the event. Video clips from news helicopters show emergency crews rescuing the injured individuals from the canal area and loading them into ambulances.
As the investigation continues, updates are expected to be released by Arizona DPS. For now, both individuals remain hospitalized, and the incident has left many with more questions than answers.