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Sharp eyes and quick actions by Asbury Park Police officers are believed to have made the difference between life and death for a man who tried to commit suicide Friday.

While on patrol in the 700 block of Second Avenue, Class II Special officers Clint Davis and Ryan Leahy spotted a Chevy Blazer backed into the parking lot near Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church [shown above] with its left blinker on around 11:30 p.m., according to Deputy Chief Anthony Salerno.

Upon further investigation, officers observed the vehicle’s engine was running and the front windshield was fogged with condensation, he said.

Officers approached the vehicle and saw a man in the driver’s seat that appeared to be asleep with an open bottle of alcohol, empty prescription bottles, and “observed a situation that led them to believe there may be carbon monoxide going into the vehicle,” Salerno said.

They opened door in attempt to wake up the man, who was not responsive, he said.

By the time emergency responders arrived the male victim, a 35-year-old Asbury Park man, was “responsive but lethargic” and was transported to a nearby hospital, said Salerno.

The man was reported to be in good medical condition Saturday and was admitted into the hospital’s crisis unit, Salerno said.

“To have such a keen sense of observation and responding to something they saw that looked out of place made the difference of a life lost or a life saved,” Salerno said. “We are fortunate the officers did, in fact, save a life.”

[Screen grab at top taken from Google Maps.]

[CORRECTION: A previous version of this article reported the victim as a 74-year-old man. Deputy Chief Salerno later contacted the Sun and said the date of birth was listed incorrectly on the report and that the victim’s true age is 35.]

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