19-year-old daredevil saved after stunt left him dangling from California's tallest bridge

A daring stunt on California's tallest bridge left a 19-year-old man dangling perilously high above the ground earlier this week.

Fortunately for him, first responders came to the rescue at the Auburn Foresthill Bridge in northern California and pulled him back to safety. But the Placer County Sheriff's Office is warning fellow daredevils who may be inspired by the stunt to think twice before trespassing on the bridge, just northeast of Sacramento.

The teenage thrill-seeker was found dangling from a rope when sheriff's deputies arrived around 6:30 p.m. local time Sunday. Dozens of first responders from other agencies also arrived, including the sheriff's mountain search-and-rescue team.

First-responders were only able to rescue the teen by sending a rescuer rappelling down on a rope of their own to bring him back up to the catwalk, the sheriff's office said in a post on Facebook.

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How did the teen pull off the stunt?

The 19-year-old man and his 17-year-old friend were able to get onto the catwalk underneath the bridge Sunday. The older teen then used a rope and harness to swing from the bridge while his friend filmed the stunt, according to the sheriff's office.

But his equipment soon failed and he became stuck, hanging approximately 30 feet from the underside of the catwalk, the sheriff's office said. The 17-year-old called 911 after the teens determined he wouldn't be able to get himself back to safety without assistance.

The 19-year-old was checked on scene by medics and declined any medical attention, the sheriff's office said. Both teenagers were cited for trespassing.

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What is the Foresthill Bridge?

At 730 feet, the Foresthill Bridge is the highest in California and is the fourth highest in the United States.

Built in 1973, the bridge spans 2,428 feet and crosses over the North Fork American River and the Sierra Nevada foothills, according to visitplacer.com.

Movie buffs may recognize the bridge from the beginning of the 2002 film "XXX" starring Vin Diesel, the tourism website claims. The bridge can be seen when Diesel's character, Xander Cage, drives a stolen red Chevrolet Corvette off of it, jumping from the car mid-flight and parachuting to his accomplices at the bottom of the American River Canyon.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com