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CRIME Boy likely saved mom from being murdered Man threw her off roof, had her in a chokehold Comment By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 3:58 PM Updated Apr 9, 2015 at 6:00 PM By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 3:58 PM Updated Apr 9, 2015 at 6:00 PM » Social News A Medford mom credits her 6-year-old son with saving her from being murdered by a man who threw her off a roof, attempted to snap her neck three times and had her in a chokehold. "My son ran up and started hitting him and telling him to stop and he was a bad guy," said the mother, Abigail Beers. Matthew James Hopkins, 25, had his girlfriend Beers in a chokehold with one arm and pushed the boy away with his other arm. In doing so, Hopkins loosened his grip and Beers got away, according to court testimony. "My son distracted him enough," Beers said. On Thursday, a sobbing Hopkins was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison for the October 2014 attack at a Medford apartment complex on Black Oak Drive. He pleaded guilty to second- and fourth-degree assault and strangulation, avoiding a potential conviction on attempted murder and other charges. His trial had been set to begin next week. "Mr. Hopkins, she was one breath away from this being a 25-year-to-life sentence. This could have so easily been a murder," said Jackson County Circuit Judge Kelly Ravassipour. "You need to be grateful she lived." Hopkins tried to snap Beers' neck twice by violently jerking her head from behind, then pushed her off the complex roof, where she fell more than eight feet onto a fence and a concrete patio. She suffered bruises and injuries to her elbow, wrist and ankle, according to court documents and testimony. Afraid for her son and daughter, Beers ran back into the apartment. Hopkins came downstairs and tried to snap her neck again, then put her in the chokehold. "I thought I wasn't going to get away and that my kids were going to watch me die," Beers said. Her children were ages 6 and 7 at the time. Medford police Officer Bob McCurley said Beers was very close to death. "There have been a lot of domestic violence homicides in Jackson County in recent years, and this could have easily added to that list," he said. McCurley praised Beers for her bravery in speaking about what happened and going through the court process. "She's a very brave woman for standing up. She's not going to be a victim anymore," McCurley said. Defense attorney John Hamilton objected to the 70-month prison sentence, which was 10 months longer than the sentence recommended by the Jackson County District Attorney's Office after negotiations with the defense. Ravassipour said she imposed the longer sentence under state Measure 11 mandatory minimum guidelines for second-degree assault because the Oregon Legislature, in adopting exceptions for some mandatory sentences, had not meant exceptions to apply to such serious cases. Hamilton said Hopkins, who sobbed throughout the plea and sentencing hearing, had been crying often while held in Jackson County Jail. He has been held in jail since October 2014 with no bail. Hamilton said Hopkins had been having severe mental health problems days before the attack. In an affidavit filled out by Medford police the day of the attack, police said Hopkins tried to hang himself with a belt in the bathroom after he assaulted Beers but was interrupted by a neighbor just before police arrived. "I snapped and I'm sorry and I lost control," Hopkins said through tears in court. McCurley said he believed Hopkins was crying only for himself, not the victim. Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 3:58 PM Updated Apr 9, 2015 at 6:00 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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