A man walking along a motorway in his underwear, carrying a bloodied knife, is a sight no driver expects to encounter. But motorists travelling along the A-7 near El Ejido, Almeria, on Monday, November 9, were confronted with exactly that situation. What they could not have known was that the approximately 40-year-old man had inflicted devastating injuries on himself during what police believe was a severe mental health episode.

He had amputated his own penis and testicles and was eventually taken to Hospital Universitario de Poniente. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, with his psychological history forming a central part of their enquiries.

Drivers raise the alarm over man carrying bloodied knife

The first emergency calls reached 112 Andalucía at around 11.50am, when motorists and other witnesses reported seeing a man walking along the A-7 near kilometre 824, within the municipality of El Ejido. He was wearing only his underwear, had a backpack over his shoulders and was carrying a bloodied knife. It was also raining at the time, adding to the alarming scene as drivers encountered him on the busy road.

The reports prompted an immediate response from Guardia Civil traffic officers and Policía Local de El Ejido. Although the Guardia Civil was alerted, the main intervention was carried out by the municipal police, with support from the Grupo de Operaciones de Apoyo Policial (GOAP), a specialist unit.

Officers discover extent of his injuries

There are differing accounts of precisely where the man was located during the operation. Information from the incident places him inside a nearby greenhouse, while other accounts describe officers intercepting and restraining him on the motorway. What is clear is that officers encountered a man with extremely serious injuries to his genital area. He had used a knife to amputate his penis and testicles, leaving him in urgent need of medical attention.

Police officers and emergency medical teams attended, with paramedics providing treatment before transferring him to Hospital  He was admitted in a serious condition. The incident also brought Policía Científica from the Policía Nacional to the area. Officers carried out investigative work to help establish what had happened and the circumstances leading up to the man’s injuries.

Police suspect severe mental health episode

The main hypothesis being considered by investigators is that the man suffered a severe mental health disturbance before mutilating himself. Sources within the Policía Nacional have confirmed that he has a history of psychological problems.  His mental state is therefore a key part of the investigation.

Police believe an acute episode may have preceded the injuries, although the precise nature of the crisis and what triggered it have not been established. The man is also reported to have around 30 previous arrests for different reasons. That history has emerged as part of the information surrounding the case

Investigation that seeks answers

Investigators are now working to reconstruct what happened before the emergency calls were made and establish how the man came to be on the A-7 in such a distressed condition. The suspected mental health crisis remains the principal line of enquiry, while officers seek to clarify the sequence of events that led to the self-inflicted injuries.

His reported psychological history provides important context, but the circumstances surrounding the episode remain unclear. For now he man remains under medical care at Hospital Universitario de Poniente following the emergency transfer. His condition is serious, and police enquiries are continuing.