This remarkable photograph shows the tense moments after a frightened young woman crawled out onto her roof to evade an intruder in her home.
Wearing just a nightshirt, Melora Rivera climbed out of a second floor window after Christian Hicks allegedly broke into her Venice Beach home.
She was pictured cowering under a ledge as Hicks apparently searched the rooftop for her.
She told CBS Los Angeles: “Once I saw him in the house I knew we both couldn’t be there.
“I knew I didn’t want to have a confrontation with him of any sort not knowing what his intention was.”
Rivera managed to grab her phone on her way onto the roof and called 911.
Police arrived soon after and Rivera was helped to safety while Hicks was detained on suspicion of burglary.
Neighbours who witnessed the rescue reported seeing Hicks “prowling around” the area often, Venice 311 writes.
The 29-year-old is being held on a $50,000 bail bond and will appear in court on Friday.