AUGUSTA COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) – At approximately 1:35 p.m. Sunday, March 23, 2025, Virginia State Police Senior Trooper M. Brill made contact with a man suffering a mental health crisis on the Barterbrook Road Bridge, which is under construction and crosses Interstate 81 at the 221-mile marker.
While Sgt. C.J. Aikens and Senior Trooper J. Cash stationed themselves below to potentially stop traffic, multiple other troopers (Senior Trooper T. Johnson, Trooper R. Strauss, Trooper T. Moreira, and Trooper P. Sprouse) joined Brill and were able to quickly get the 42-year-old man from Tennessee, away from any danger.
After approximately 40 minutes of discussion with the individual, the state troopers were able to get him completely off the bridge, and he was taken to Augusta Health under an emergency custody order.
Traffic was never stopped on Interstate 81 as a result of the troopers’ quick actions.
Augusta County Sheriff’s deputies as well as the Stuarts Draft Rescue Squad assisted in the effort.