9-Hour West Sac Standoff Ends When Suspect Attempts Suicide
WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A woman was taken into custody after she held her mother against her will in a standoff that lasted nearly nine hours, according to West Sacramento police.
Officers say they were assisting the fire department on a medical call at Marston Street home around 7 p.m. Wednesday. A man was being taken to the hospital for a medical condition.
During this time, 38-year-old Melissa Dodd ran into the home and locked her mother out of the house. Officers attempted to help the mother back in but were not successful. Then at some point when the mother was separated from officers, the suspect dragged her back in the home by force, police said.
Officers believed the mother was being held against her will after hearing yelling from inside the home.
It was learned that Dodd had felony warrants for domestic violence and possession of stolen property. She also had access to guns inside the home.
"We know that there has been issues with her going up and down with tempers and things," West Sacramento Police Lt. Tod Sockman said. "We have a history with her, which is one of the reasons we took all the precautions we did tonight."
That history now includes an odd incident Thursday in which Dodd walked out of an interrogation session at police headquarters. She was able to walk out the door police thought was secure. She was found minutes later and a few blocks down the road.
She will have an additional escape charge added, said police spokesman, who added they are doing an internal review on how Dodd was able to walk out.
SWAT was called out Wednesday and attempted to negotiate with Dodd, who was reportedly in possession of a handgun.
At about 4:15 a.m., officers entered the home after learning Dodd had slit her wrists.
She was taken to the hospital and treated for her injuries. She was then booked into the Yolo County Jail. Her mother was unharmed.
She'll face the old charges from those outstanding warrants and new ones from the standoff overnight.
