Man commits suicide under bridge near Old 395

A man in his mid-fifties committed suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the upper chest shortly after noon on June 18 under a bridge located on Stewart Canyon Drive near Old Highway 395.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as John Sinderhold, 57, of Fallbrook.

Sinderhold called 911 that day about noon and told the emergency line operator that he was going to shoot himself.

“The operator tried to talk with him and be as helpful as possible, but the man insisted he was getting off the phone and would not answer the many call back attempts the dispatcher made to his phone,” said Jesse Udovich, of the California Highway Patrol.

Local law enforcement agencies were dispatched to the scene where they found Sinderhold deceased. The Medical Examiner’s Office was immediately notified, and shortly afterward they took charge of the scene and investigation.

Sinderhold had left his vehicle nearby with a note taped to the windshield, a witness said.

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