Kittitas Co. corporal shot with hunting arrow

KITTITAS CO., Wash. — A Kittitas County corporal was shot in the shoulder with an arrow on Tuesday.

Corporal James Woody was responding to a mental health emergency at a home three miles northeast of Ellensburg around 3 p.m. That’s where 41-year-old Michael Chenoweth was threatening residents on the property.

When Corporal Woody opened the door, he was struck with a hunting arrow. He was taken to the hospital.

A tactical team later got Chenoweth to surrender, and they took him into custody.

The Kittitas Undersheriff said it was fortunate the arrow didn’t drive straight in. Corporal Woody has since be released from the hospital.

“Cpl. Woody was very fortunate, the arrow appeared to have hit at enough of an angle when it struck the bone, it transitioned away instead of driving straight in. The Doctor was able to sew him up and release him. This is another unfortunate incident which illustrates the need for better solutions for our citizens who are affected by mental illness. Law enforcement has to respond to these calls but, unfortunately, most of the time the people involved are already in crisis, and that puts our officers and the citizen at great risk,” wrote Undersheriff Myers in a statement.