By Tim Lockette
The Anniston Star, Ala.
CALHOUN COUNTY, Ala. — An Anniston woman is dead after allegedly pulling a gun on a Calhoun County Sheriff’s deputy during an arrest Saturday morning, Sheriff Matthew Wade said Saturday.
“We could very easily be telling people about a dead deputy today,” Wade said.
Wade said a deputy pulled over a car containing Brittany Nicole Yoder of Anniston and Timothy Alan Wood of Wilsonville at 3:32 a.m Saturday on Grayton Road South in Ohatchee.
When the deputy searched the car, Wade said, he found a large amount of methamphetamines and a pistol. The deputy arrested both Wood and Yoder on charges of methamphetamine trafficking and possession of a pistol by a person forbidden to possess a firearm.
Both Wood and Yoder have multiple felony arrests in their pasts, according to records, and some felony convictions. Felony convictions typically prohibit people from owning firearms.
Wade said that during the arrest, the deputy handcuffed both Wood and Yoder with their hands behind their backs and put them in the back of his police car. The deputy also called for a wrecker to pick up the defendants’ car, Wade said, then opened the trunk of his patrol car to get evidence bags.
Wade said Yoder then called out to the deputy for assistance. When he opened the car door, Wade said, Yoder “jumped out of the car and pointed a gun at his head.”
Wade said Yoder pulled the trigger on the pistol, a Glock, but it didn’t fire because no round was in the chamber despite a magazine being in the gun. Wade said the deputy then shot and killed Yoder.
“It happened very quick,” Wade said. “You had to slow the body camera footage to half speed to see what happened.”
Wade said the deputy, unclear on whether Wood was also armed, retreated to cover and called for backup. He waved away an arriving wrecker, Wade said. When other deputies arrived, Wade said, they arrested Wood.
Wade said it’s unclear how Yoder got out of the handcuffs or how she got the Glock. He said the weapon wasn’t part of the deputy’s equipment and appeared to have been supplied by either Wood or by Yoder herself. He said Yoder was searched during the arrest, although she was wearing bulky clothing.
Wade said he believes the deputy did everything he should have done. He described the deputy as a newlywed, but declined to release the deputy’s name.
The incident is being reviewed by the Oxford Police Department and the Center for Applied Forensics, which have an agreement with the Sheriff’s Office to investigate use-of-force incidents by deputies.
Wood was in the Calhoun County Jail Saturday on the trafficking and pistol charges, as well as a charge of possessing controlled substances and a charge of obstructing justice. The sheriff said Wood could face an attempted murder charge as well.
(c)2020 The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.)