A Washington man was cited Friday after state police said he jumped over the center concrete barrier on Interstate 70 multiple times in Washington County, just over the Westmoreland border.
Troopers identified the man as Jordan Simon, 31, and said he was under the influence of methamphetamine after having an argument with his girlfriend. Police said Simon ran into traffic at 6:30 p.m. Thursday near mile marker 37 and the Toll Route 43 interchange in Fallowfield Township.
The incident happened about 4 miles from the Westmoreland County border. The two counties are separated by a bridge that carries the four-lane highway over the Monongahela River.
“He proceeded to jump over the concrete barrier multiple times,” Trooper Steven Moyemont said in a news release.
Simon allegedly stood on the barrier that separates east and westbound traffic, “causing an extremely hazardous situation for travelers and himself,” Moyemont said.
According to PennDOT traffic volume maps, Interstate 70 sees an average of 27,000 motorists daily west of the Toll Route 43 interchange and 35,000 drivers east of the two highways’ connection.
Simon was taken into custody and lodged at the Washington County Jail on a bench warrant related to 2019 theft and receiving stolen property charges in South Strabane, according to jail and court records. There was a detainer placed on him related to warrants out of Montgomery County, according to jail records.
He was cited Friday with public drunkenness and disorderly conduct in connection with Thursday’s incident.
Methamphetamine use can cause rapid and irregular heartbeat, euphoria and increased activity and wakefulness, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
