Melora Rivera had a terrifying moment this week when an intruder forced his way into her Venice Beach, California, home and caused her retreat to the roof.
The actress, who had a small part in the 2012 film Sparkle alongside Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston, was dressed in a nightgown when the intruder broke into her home. The incident happened just after 9 a.m. on Wednesday, not long after she had woken up.
Melora Rivera heard the man breaking into the house and climbed out of a second floor window, taking cover on her roof.
“Once I saw him in the house I knew we both couldn’t be there,” the brave woman told CBS Los Angeles . “I knew I didn’t want to have a confrontation with him of any sort not knowing what his intention was.”
The man, identified by police as Christian Hicks, then followed Melora onto the roof and forced her to take cover underneath an overhang.
The frightening moment was caught on camera, with someone nearby taking a picture showing Melora Rivera cowering for cover while the man identified as Hicks peered from a roof behind her.
Sleeping in safety of home. Transient that was FI’d already today enters home, follows petrified victim to roof. pic.twitter.com/HGyTDke4MZ
— Venice 311 (@Venice311) September 24, 2014
But help was on the way. Before taking to the roof, Melora was able to find her cell phone and call police. They arrived shortly afterward, arresting Hicks on suspicion of burglary.
Police and fire department crews showed up, forcing Hicks to retreat and allowing time to get a ladder that allowed Rivera to climb back down to safety.
Police were eventually able to convince Christian Hicks to come down, and he was taken into custody. He is being held on $50,000 bond, and Melora Rivera was reportedly left unharmed from the incident.
