Hero Officer Pulls Distressed Woman Off Tracks As Train Approaches

A Massachusetts police officer is being hailed as a hero for pulling a distressed woman off a railroad track as a train approached.

The Abington Police Department this week shared body-worn camera video from Sgt. Stephen Marquardt, who responded at around 6:15 a.m. Friday to a report that a woman was walking in the middle of Plymouth Street before stepping onto the railroad tracks.

Marquardt, a 30-year veteran of the department, “recognized that the woman was in significant distress,” police said. With a train approaching, Marquardt ran after her and “put his own safety at risk to reach her.” The video shows the woman resisting Marquardt’s efforts. 

“She struggled fiercely to break free from his grasp, but Sgt. Marquardt refused to let go,” police said, demonstrating “extraordinary courage and commitment in that moment.”

With assistance from Officers Hulak and Walsh, the woman was safely assisted to an ambulance to receive “immediate mental health support.”

“Valor is the quiet decision to risk your own life so another person may keep theirs. Sgt. Marquardt embodies that principle, a true angel in blue,” police said. “Thank you, Sgt. Marquardt, for your incredible bravery, unwavering dedication, and for setting the standard of what true service looks like.”