Jumper closes 290

Highway 290 is closed in both directions at West Little York because an unidentified man jumped off the West Little York overpass during the lunch hour today and was hit and killed by an 18-wheeler on the freeway, police said.

According to witnesses, the unidentified man pulled his vehicle to the side of the overpass "on the pretext that he was working on his car" and then suddenly climbed onto the bridge railing and made a giant leap. Mosier estimated the distance from the railing to the ground is about 25 feet.

"We think he hit the pavement and then was hit by the truck," Mosier said. The truck's brakes locked when it tried to screech to a stop, and still drug the body about 300 feet after impact, Mosier said.

There aren't any details yet, but we suspect it would be best to avoid 290 this afternoon.