BY ROCHELLE LAUREN GERSZBERG
Staff Writer
EDISON — Police and a good Samaritan were able to prevent a suicidal woman from jumping off the Morris Goodkind bridge last week.
“The woman was sitting on a concrete edge on the bridge, on the opposite side of the rail,” said Patrolman Robert Dudash. “Below her was the water.”
When officers arrived on the scene at 3:50 p.m. on Oct. 5, they found a 17-year-old Edison youth trying to talk to the woman to stop her from jumping, he said.
“The lady was drinking an alcoholic beverage,” said Dudash.
Sgt. Michael Cimmino arrived and attempted to speak to the woman.
“The woman was talking of committing suicide when sitting on the edge, initially to the good Samaritan and then to officers when they arrived,” said Dudash.
Cimmino was able to distract the woman long enough for three additional Edison police officers and two New Brunswick officers to get into position behind her, grab her through the railing and pull her above the railing to safety, he said.
The woman was taken into custody and transported to St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick for evaluation.
“The victim, as well as the officers involved, was unharmed and uninjured in the incident,” Dudash said.