House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, called 911 and spoke in code to a dispatcher while an intruder was inside their San Francisco home, police said Friday.

Driving the news: Paul Pelosi told the intruder he had to use the bathroom, where his phone was charging, and made the 911 call, leaving the line open, a source told the Los Angeles Times.

• A dispatcher, listening to the background conversation on the call, sensed trouble and sent police.

Details: When they arrived, officers discovered Paul Pelosi and the intruder struggling over a hammer, and told them to drop it.

• The suspect, identified as 42-year-old David DePape, yanked the hammer from Pelosi and began beating him with it, striking at least one blow, before being tackled by officers and arrested, police said.

What they're saying: "I think this was lifesaving," San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said of the dispatcher's actions, adding that the dispatcher figured out there was "something more" than what she was being told, resulting in a quicker police response.

• "It is really thanks to Mr. Pelosi having the ability to be able to make that call and truly the attention and instincts of that dispatcher to realize that something was wrong and to make the police call a priority," San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins told CNN.

Catch up quick: Paul Pelosi "underwent successful surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands," and is expected to make a full recovery, Nancy Pelosi's spokesperson said.

• DePape was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, elder abuse and burglary, and remains in the hospital, police said.