A man was hospitalized in critical condition after he jumped off an Interstate 35 bridge over Salado Creek and fell at least 25 feet while fleeing San Antonio police Monday afternoon.

Johnathan Gomez, 20, was taken to San Antonio Military Medical Center with a broken back and head injuries, a police spokeswoman said.

An officer had arrested Gomez on a felony warrant for possession of a controlled substance at a gas station around 1 p.m. in the 1700 block of North New Braunfels Avenue and had handcuffed him, but Gomez was able to run and cross the interstate access road, said SAPD Sgt. Jay Vinson.

Gomez jumped onto or inside a passing produce truck, Vinson said. A witness gave police a description of the truck, which continued north on I-35 until officers caught up with it near the Splashtown exit. Police stopped the truck over the mostly dry Salado Creek and Gomez jumped off the bridge, landing on the grassy bank, Vinson said.

Robert Garcia, a physical education teacher for Southside Independent School District, was pulling into the gas station during his lunch break when he saw the man run across lanes of traffic.

“The fact that he was able to, in some way, attach himself to a produce truck moving on the highway ... that's crazier than trying to run from a cop. It's like something from the movies,” Garcia said.

Police detained the truck driver but it was not immediately clear if he would face charges.

Officers closed the access road to the interstate while investigating the scene, and traffic jammed the main lanes of I-35 for at least two hours.

Vinson said police were investigating how Gomez was able to escape the arresting officer. The entire incident was “unnecessary and sad,” Vinson said.

SAMMC spokesman Dewey Mitchell said Gomez was in critical but stable condition.