Marietta Officer Saves Woman's Life On I-75 Bridge

MARIETTA, GA — A Marietta police officer is being credited with saving a woman Thursday morning who was standing on the Delk Road bridge over Interstate 75.

According to the Marietta Police Department, freshman Officer Austin Martin was one of the first officers on the scene. Martin joined the department less than a year ago and received his solo status six weeks ago.

Police said Martin approached the woman as she scaled a chain link fence. He remained calm, speaking with her for nearly an hour and building a rapport with her.

Martin attempted to get the woman to climb back over the fence to safety, police said. First responders shut down I-75 in both directions.

When the woman appeared to be getting tired, police said Martin laced his fingers with hers through the fence and gave other responding officers time to grab onto her clothing, "holding on for dear life."

Marietta Police released body cam footage of the incident in a 53-second video, which shows officers holding onto a woman over the fence while firefighters reach for her. The woman's face is blurred.

Firefighters used a ladder truck to lower the woman onto safety, which is seen in a 40-second redacted video released by Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services.

"We are happy to report the woman is safe and can now receive the help she needs," police said in a news release Thursday.

Cobb County Police, Marietta Fire and the Cobb County 911 dispatch center provided assistance in the case.

“I could not be prouder of the actions of Officer Martin and all those involved in saving this woman’s life," Marietta Police Chief Marty Ferrell said in the release. "To those who ask why anyone would want to become a police officer these days, this is just one example of the impact a first responder can have in someone’s life. I am appreciative of the collaboration that exists between each of our agencies. If you experience a crisis in Cobb, rest assured we are all coming as one cohesive team to assist you.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.