By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
David Matthew Wood, of Helena, Montana, will spend from 10 to 20 years in prison for shooting at officers at the Clare Best Western Motel in July of 2020.
A call to Clare police about a domestic dispute at the north end of the City just after midnight Monday morning July 27, 2020 turned into an eight-hour standoff as a gunman took potshots at officers.
The call came in at 12:10 a.m. Monday reporting a domestic dispute at the Best Western on the north side of the City where Wood was a guest.
Officers were told the man had a handgun and when they arrived, they attempted to contact the man, identified as David Matthew Wood, 49, from the Big Rapids area and formerly of Montana.
Woods came to the door and “confronted the officers,” Former Clare Chief Brian Gregory said in a press release after the incident. He said Woods refused to put the weapon down and officers retreated to safety.
In her post about Wood’s sentencing, Clare County Prosecutor Michelle Ambrozaitis said, Wood “was making suicidal threats.” The incident escalated with the defendant discharging the firearm inside of the hotel room and at responding police officers in the parking lot.
Occupants of the hotel were evacuated and taken to Cops and Doughnuts while police attempted to negotiate with the man. Chief Gregory said the man was shooting in the direction of officers and into the parking lot. “Several shots were fired,” he said.
After about eight hours, Wood peacefully surrendered to officers, Gregory said in the initial release.
The Clare City police were assisted at the scene by the Northern Michigan Mutual Aid Emergency Response Team, the Clare County Sheriff’s department, Michigan State Police troopers, the Clare Department of Public Works, Mobile Medical Response Ambulance Service and the Clare Fire Department.
The incident was investigated by Clare Police assisted by the CCSO and MSP.
On December 19 last year, Wood pled no contest to Weapons – Firearms – Discharge in a Building, Assault with Intent to Murder, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. He was sentenced February 22 by Circuit Court Judge Tara Hovey to serve the maximum sentence of 10 years for the Discharge of a firearm in a building, 10.5 years to 20 years for the Assault with Intent to Murder, and the maximum sentence of 4 years for the Assault with a Dangerous Weapon convictions.
Wood received 939 days of credit for time already served. His sentences will run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay $56,848.09 in fines and costs.
Wood was arraigned Tuesday on one charge of weapons: discharge in or at a building and one charge of weapons, carrying concealed. His bond was set at $120,000 – ten percent cash/surety and he remains lodged at the Clare County Jail.
A preliminary examination has been set for August 10th at 1:45 p.m.
Mug:
David Wood