By Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The young woman stood on a guardrail Sunday night along Columbia Parkway, ready to jump into a ravine. She looked back and forth at Cincinnati Police officers Jenny Ernst, who was trying to talk her down, and Doug Ventre.

As she watched them, she didn't notice Officer Dwayne Wilson sneaking up behind her. He reached up, grabbed her with both arms around the waist and literally snatched her off the guardrail, Capt. James Whalen said.

Officers found a suicide note. The 19-year-old Miami University student apparently was distraught over a relationship problem.

It was the second of two suicide attempts foiled by Cincinnati officers last weekend. In the first, Friday night in East Price Hill, Sgt. Joe Richardson and Officer Dan Cavanaugh took an 8-inch knife from a suicidal man after firing pepper balls at him.

Both people were taken to University Hospital's psychiatric emergency-services unit.

Police supervisors commended the officers.