It was a terrifying scene right out of a movie for a woman in Venice, California, recently.

Melora Rivera, wearing only a flannel shirt and clutching her cellphone, was photographed by a passerby Wednesday morning as she crouched on her roof with alleged intruder Christian Hicks hovering above her.

Authorities said today that Hicks, 29, was homeless. He allegedly broke into Rivera's home while she was in bed.

"He came out to the roof and was on the other side of the roof while she's trying to tell police, 'There's an intruder in my house,'" a neighbor told KTLA -TV.

Rivera reportedly told police that a passerby had taken her picture as she crawled out of her attic window, 20 feet above the ground. The images were then posted to social media.

Rivera was able to call 911 from the roof. Minutes later, when the authorities arrived, police talked Hicks off the roof while firefighters helped Rivera down.

Hicks was reportedly behind bars today on $50,000 bail on burglary charges.