By William Thornton | wthornton@al.com

Authorities say the timely intervention of an Oxford police officer kept an inmate in the city jail from committing suicide Friday.

Police Chief Bill Partridge said a 26-year-old Talladega County woman was arrested on charges of second-degree theft, resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer and interfering with government operations. The charges stemmed from a shoplifting incident which involved another person.

A couple of hours after the woman was booked into the jail, she attempted to hang herself. However, an officer doing a routine check discovered her before she could carry it out.

The woman was taken to Regional Medical Center for treatment. She is now back at home. Police are also seeking warrants for the other person involved in the shoplifting incident, who fled before police arrived.

The State Bureau of Investigation will investigate the incident, according to standard procedures during jail suicides or suicide attempts.

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