Good Samaritan Halts Suicide, Then Steals Purse, Police Say

The way police are telling the story today, Miguel Garcia is possibly both Good Samaritan and thief.

Garcia, 35, was credited by authorities with rescuing a suicidal woman who was threatening to jump from a 40-foot bridge Tuesday night in Van Nuys. He was also accused with then running off with her purse.

Garcia was caught by three witnesses shortly after the incident and spent the night in jail on suspicion of robbery. But detectives said the woman he stopped from jumping doesn’t want to press charges.

“She feels he saved her life and doesn’t want to prosecute him,” said Detective Richard Schauer, who added that the case has not been officially dropped yet and Garcia remains in jail.

Police said the incident began at 10:20 p.m. when Garcia began wrestling the 23-year-old Sunland woman away from the edge of the Victory Boulevard bridge over the Tujunga Wash. During the struggle, they moved from the center of the wash to the side where the drop was only five feet, police said. The woman fell and was knocked unconscious. Police said Garcia then took her purse and ran.

“There is no way of telling what his intent was,” Schauer said. “He did prevent her from jumping, but whether that was because he was a Good Samaritan or just wanted her purse, we can’t tell at this point.”