Man gets stuck in chimney while fleeing from police in Fall River
by LEANNA FAULK, NBC 10 NEWS
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WJAR) — It was anything but a Christmas miracle for a Fall River man who found himself wedged in a chimney while trying to dodge police Tuesday night.
Detectives with the Community Action and Suppression Team, or CAST, were serving a search warrant at 127 Canal St. when two men bolted from the residence on the roof.
One made a daring leap onto a parked car and escaped, but the other decided to channel Santa Claus, with far less finesse.
That second man, identified as 33-year-old Robert Langlias, climbed into the chimney in a desperate bid for freedom.
His plan hit a wall, literally, when he became hopelessly stuck. Officers on the roof confirmed his predicament after a tip from a neighbor who had been out walking his dog.
“He went down like Santa Claus,” the neighbor, Jim Medeiros, said. “I thought, ‘Oh boy, he’s going to get stuck in there for sure.’”
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Police, with help from the Fall River Fire Department and EMS, worked tirelessly to chisel him out.
Body camera footage captured the comical rescue as Langlias pleaded with officers.
“Get me out of here, bro!” he exclaimed, a sentiment rarely heard from jolly old Saint Nick.
After being freed, Langlias was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and later booked on several charges, including possession of Class A and Class B drugs, along with a string of outstanding warrants.
Inside the home, detectives uncovered various drugs, adding to the legal troubles for Langlias and a second suspect, 32-year-old Tanisha Ibay, who was arrested without the theatrics.
Fall River police shared bodycam video of Robert Langlias being rescued after he was stuck in a chimney. (Fall River Police Department)
The night wasn’t over for police. A third man also fled from the rooftop but chose a more straightforward escape: leaping 15 feet to the ground and disappearing into the night. He remained on the run.
For Langlias, however, this attempt to channel Kris Kringle didn’t come with milk, cookies, or a sleigh ride home. Instead, it ended with a hospital visit and a trip to the local jail.
Anyone with information about the third suspect is urged to contact Fall River police.