Domestic dispute ends in gunfire

BENT, N.M. (KRQE) - A domestic dispute took an extra violent turn for a southern New Mexico woman and her young daughter.

A man who followed them home to Bent and broke into their house later found himself staring down the barrel of a sheriff's deputy's rifle.

A woman called the Otero County Sheriff's Department just before 9 p.m. Tuesday night  saying Tad Woods drove up behind her car and rammed it with his pickup while she and her 5-year-old daughter were heading home. They were not hurt.

Police say Woods, 44, arrived at the woman's house, broke in and stole her .38-caliber revolver. He then drove to a nearby church where deputies caught up to him.

"It's usually customary for at least two officers to respond to domestic violence situations or domestic dispute situations just because the severity of the cases," said Lt. Matt Broom with New Mexico State Police.

Sheriff's deputies found Woods' truck parked behind the church. At that point he rammed a deputy's car twice, right before a sergeant shot at him three times with her rifle.

Although wounded, Woods drove back to the woman's house, where he barricaded himself inside. He was arrested a short time later.

State Police are in charge of the investigation.

"They're going to be seeing what charges if any they can bring against the suspect or if the shooting meets lawful purposes," said Broom.

Police are also investigating Woods' relationship with the woman.

Woods was taken to an El Paso hospital. Officials there are not releasing his condition.

Court records show Woods has a long criminal history dating back two decades for crimes including domestic violence, child abuse and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The sergeant who shot him is on administrative leave.