Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputies made a successful rescue of a suicidal man on his roof after a 3-hour standoff. The call came in yesterday at about 4:30 PM from a woman in the 8600 block of Quail Haven Lane in Graton. She told dispatchers her son, a 20-year old man, was having mental health issues and was very upset and feeling suicidal. He had climbed onto the roof of their home and was on the peak of a three story home after drinking alcohol coupled with muscle relaxants and anti-seizure medication.
Deputies, along with medics and fire personnel, responded and made contact with the man who made numerous suicidal statements to them. The Sheriff’s Office’s Hostage Negotiation Team was called out and engaged him in meaningful dialogue. While consulting with the man, other deputies interviewed the parents to find out exactly what kind of medication he took. A doctor, who is assigned to the hostage negotiation team, was consulted and told the deputies that in addition to becoming unresponsive, respiratory failure was a real possibility along with a fatal fall from that height.
After approximately three hours of negotiating with the man, he started to become semi-conscious and determined to be unable to resist due to his medical state. The Sheriff’s helicopter, Henry-1, which was staged for a long line rescue was summoned in at 7:45 PM. A deputy on the end of the rope fastened 100’ below the helicopter was able to get the man in a horse collar device and lift him off the roof and onto the nearby ground safely to an awaiting ambulance.
The man was transported to a local hospital by ambulance where he was treated for his overdose and placed on a 72-hour mental health hold due to his suicidal statements.
Prepared by: Sgt. Spencer Crum
Media Inquiries: 707-565-3941
