Alberto Hernandez, 54, faces several charges in connection with a climb to the top of a GWB tower.
An officer with NYPD Special Operations reaches a man who climbed a tower at the George Washington Bridge on Friday, Oct. 28, 2016. (NYPD Special Ops) FORT LEE - A man who climbed a tower on the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge will face criminal charges, according to Port Authority Police.
Alberto Hernandez, 54, drove from his home in East Stroudsburg to the GWB Friday morning and left parked his car about 8:15 a.m. in the eastbound lane of traffic, said Joe Pentangelo, spokesman for the Port Authority.
Hernandez then climbed up to the top of the tower.
NYPD Special Operations officers climbed up after Hernandez and brought him down, the spokesman said.
The incident delayed traffic on both sides of the bridge during Friday's busy commute. It was the second traffic shutdown at the bridge in two days.
NOW: Excellent work by #NYPD #ESU negotiating w/ and placing the EDP jumper safely into custody minutes ago #GeorgeWashingtonBridge #PAPD pic.twitter.com/3pWseecMMr
-- NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) October 28, 2016
Hernandez is charged with interference with transportation, defiant trespass and disorderly conduct, Pentangelo said.
Pentangelo said the climber intended to jump from the bridge.
"He made statements to the officers that he intended to hurt himself," Pentangelo said.
The man was taken to Bergen Regional Medical Center for observation and was later charged, the spokesman said.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.