Pennsylvania Officer Who Stopped to Help Parked Vehicle Assaulted, Thrown Over Embankment: Police

Police in Pennsylvania are searching for a man suspected of assaulting a Schuylkill County police officer Wednesday and throwing her over an embankment, authorities said.

West Penn Township police sergeant Melissa Ruch stopped to help a disabled or parked vehicle near a guard rail, WFMZ-TV reported. When she stepped out a man came around the car, assaulted her and threw her over the embankment.

Ruch fell about 35 feet and airlifted her to a local-area hospital, according to WPVI-TV. Her injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Melissa Ruch (Image source: West Penn Township Police via WNEP-TV)

The investigation has been handed over to the Pennsylvania State Police.

"Her shirt is like sliced from — we don't know what it's sliced yet from," Trooper David Boehm said, according to WNEP-TV.

Boehm described the suspect as a large Hispanic male, approximately 6'2'' to 6'4'' and weighing 240 to 260 pounds.

"He was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans, the kind that go way down below your knees and possibly in a dark colored Nissan Maxima," Boehm said, according to WNEP-TV.

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