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Connecticut Man Thrown Off Bridge While Checking On Woman’s Safety: Her Boyfriend Arrested On Attempted Murder

By Roz Zurko
Published on: 08:17 PST, Dec 12, 2017

What started out as a good deed left a man with serious injuries after he was tossed off a bridge into the icy waters below a Connecticut bridge. This incident also turned into an attempted murder charge for the man who allegedly did this. A bridge that links Shelton and Derby Connecticut was the site of this crime, which happened as the victim and his brother were crossing the bridge.

The two brothers were crossing a bridge over the Housatonic River when they came across Gregory Rottjer, 25, and Jennifer Hannum, 22, who were arguing on the bridge. This prompted one of the unnamed brothers to inquire if Ms. Hannum was OK.

According to Fox News, this started a fight between Rottjer and the good Samaritan that ended with Rottjer allegedly throwing the victim off the bridge, causing him to drop 45 feet into the icy waters of the river below.

The Shelton Police Department charged Rottjer with criminal attempt to commit murder, first-degree assault, and reckless endangerment for allegedly throwing the victim off the bridge. The victim was seriously injured as a result of this fall. Rottjer’s girlfriend was charged with “lying to the police,” which carried the charge of “interfering with an officer, according to the Connecticut Post.

A friend of Rottjer’s, who was also with him and his girlfriend at the time, Matthew Dorso, was charged with third-degree assault for his part in this fight. Rottjer faces arraignment on these charges Tuesday. According to the Connecticut Post, police embarked on an “extensive investigation” surrounding this incident.

They learned that the victim and his brother had attempted to see if the female was safe after witnessing a verbal argument she was having with Rottjer. It is when the victim and his brother attempted to walk away from the trio that Rottjer and Dorso started a physical fight with both the victim of the fall and his brother.

Shelton police rescued the victim from the icy waters of the river after Rottjer reportedly “intentionally” threw him over the bridge. The victim, who remains unnamed, is a 30-year-old man from Monroe, Connecticut. Rottjer and Hannum both live in Derby, while Dorso is from Ansonia, according to police records.

Rottjer, Dorso, and Hannum fled the scene of the crime. The Connecticut Post reports that “Hannum was allegedly determined to be untruthful with detectives” investigating this case, which is why she was charged. The incident occurred on Thanksgiving morning, but the investigation continued until this week when the three were charged.

All three were taken into custody, with Rottjer being held in lieu of $250,000 bail after his arraignment on Tuesday. Dorso was released on a promise to appear, while Hannum was released on $1,000 bail. Both were issued a court date of December 22. The victim is still recovering from his injuries in that fall from the bridge.

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