Dancing Bridgewater Student Pushed Off Garage Into Partying Crowd, Police Say
BRIDGEWATER (CBS) -- It happens in a split second: Two people on a roof, when one gives the other a shove and a young college student goes flying.
"She was amazingly fortunate that she just got away with bruises," Bridgewater Police Lt. Tom Schlatz told WBZ-TV.
The victim, a Bridgewater State student, luckily landed on the large crowd of people below and walked away from the Burrill Avenue house party with just bruises.
"If you look from behind, she was pushed very hard from behind. . . she could have landed on her face," Shlatz said.
The victim, who is underage, told police she was dancing on the roof of a detached garage when the stranger pushed her and she has no idea why.
Police who were already on the scene to break up the bash quickly arrested Bridgewater student Alexander Marquez and charged him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery and disorderly conduct.
Brittany Mahan is a student and she says, "I don't understand how something thinks its OK to push someone off the roof, like I don't know what he was thinking or why he did it."
Students tell WBZ it was one of the biggest parties they've seen on this street, just in the shadow of campus. Neighbor Lovell Smith says it kept him up all night
"Last night was wild, very wild," Smith said.
Local landlord Chris Brogin rents to college students in the neighborhood and he says you have to be extra vigilant.
"My properties, I have cameras, I talk to police. . . and if need help give them a call," he said.
It's a dangerous lesson for students, one week before the real classes even begin.
Bridgewater State is conducting its own investigation and say they have a zero tolerance police for violence.