A man who escaped from a Dallas County Sheriff's Department squad car Friday afternoon and then threatened to jump off a bridge has been identified as Scott Ansen Coe, 29.

Mr. Coe was arrested and charged with theft over $20,000 after failing to return a Sunnyvale company's truck and trailer in a timely manner after the company fired him, sheriff's spokesman Michael Ortiz said.

He was taken into custody when he returned the truck Friday afternoon. He also had a warrant for a parole violation out of Smith County, Deputy Ortiz said.

On the way to jail, Mr. Coe maneuvered his handcuffed hands to the front of his body and wriggled one hand out of the cuffs, Deputy Ortiz said. He kicked out a window in the squad car as it stopped at a red light at Reunion Boulevard and jumped out about 1:30 p.m., he said.

Mr. Coe then ran down the Interstate 30 bridge and threatened to jump when he realized he couldn't outrun deputies who responded to the escape call, he said. Three deputies began talking to him. Shortly after 2 p.m., when Mr. Coe became distracted by something, the deputies grabbed him.

"He looked away for a split second, and they grabbed him and pulled him in," Deputy Ortiz said.

One of the deputies was treated for a minor injury during the scuffle.

Mr. Coe also will be charged with felony escape. He is on suicide watch at Lew Sterrett Justice Center, Deputy Ortiz said.

The Sheriff's Department shut down the eastbound lanes of I-30 for about 45 minutes.

Witness Vicky Cohutt, an employee of The Dallas Morning News, said she was driving behind the patrol car, which was traveling about 30 mph, when she saw a commotion inside.

"The next thing I know, this man jumps out of the window of the police car and lands facedown," Ms. Cohutt said. "He laid there a few seconds, and he got up and ran off into oncoming traffic. My first thought was, 'This isn't real. Where are the cameras? Is this one of those cop shows?'"