Mendocino County supervisor suspected of domestic battery, resisting arrest

A Mendocino County supervisor was arrested Friday on suspicion of resisting arrest and domestic battery, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s office.

Tom Woodhouse, who has been absent from board meetings for two months, was arrested at his Willits-area home about 8:30 p.m., according to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies had been called to his home regarding someone damaging property, sheriff’s Lt. Kirk Mason said.

When they arrived, Woodhouse came out of the house and expressed his displeasure at their appearance, according to an incident report released by the sheriff’s office Tuesday. During the conversation, deputies saw Woodhouse push his wife and decided to arrest him for misdemeanor domestic battery but Woodhouse resisted, taking on a fighting stance and struggling with deputies before fleeing into the house, the sheriff’s report stated.

Three deputies followed him inside and a second struggle ensued. One deputy deployed a Taser gun, but it was ineffective, according to the report.

The deputies eventually controlled Woodhouse and placed him under arrest. He was released prior to booking for a mental health evaluation, Mason said.

-Glenda Anderson