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Officer broke woman’s fall from building

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February 09, 2012|By Martin Finucane and Colin A. Young

ROBERT ROBICHAUD (Essdras M Suarez/Globe…)

A Boston police officer won praise from the department yesterday for breaking the fall of a woman who tumbled headfirst from a rooftop in Dorchester, police said.

Officer Robert Robichaud responded at 3:45 a.m. to a report of a distraught woman threatening to jump from the roof of a Wilbert Road townhouse, police said.

“A call came in for a person on the roof, and I happened to be right around the corner from the call,’’ Robichaud said in an interview. “Nothing was really going through my head. I just responded to the call.’’

When he arrived, Robichaud said, the woman was sitting on the roof, yelling at people below.

“I saw who I believe is her daughter and somebody else she was talking to on the ground,’’ he said. “Several others were looking on from their porches and windows.’’

Additional officers arrived and entered the residence to try to speak with the woman from an upstairs window. Robichaud stood on the front steps and attempted to engage her from the ground.

As officers were talking to the woman, she moved closer to the edge of the roof. Robichaud positioned himself on the front steps.

Then the woman leaned forward and fell off the building. Robichaud moved under her and broke her fall.

Robichaud and the woman were taken to Boston Medical Center and treated for minor injuries.

Robichaud said the episode was unlike any other he has responded to during his three years on the police force.

“I’ve had a lot of crazy calls,’’ he said, “but nothing to the point where someone was up on the roof threatening to jump off.’’