Knife-wielding domestic battery suspect arrested after Redding armed standoff

REDDING — A man who officials say repeatedly choked his live-in girlfriend and held a knife to her throat while threatening to kill her was arrested after an armed standoff in North Redding. The violent battery and standoff happened Tuesday evening, Aug. 28, at a recreational trailer parked on a property at 11243 Quartz Hill Rd., near Gardners Ln.

The alleged suspect was apprehended with help from a sheriff’s K9 and later treated for dog bites before he was booked into jail on several felonies.

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Deputies responded to the property just after 5:30 p.m., after receiving reports of a violent domestic battery at the location. A 911 caller reported that her sister was being beaten by her boyfriend, later identified as 47-year-old, Freddie Dean Cox.

When deputies arrived they found the victim and her sister, but learned Cox had fled the residence before their arrival.

The victim, who officials declined to identify, told deputies the violent incident began when she became involved in an argument with Cox inside their RV trailer.

The victim told investigating deputies that during the altercation “Cox strangled her multiple times, before she was able to kick him off of her,” SCSO officials later explained.

Before the victim could get away, Cox grabbed hold of the woman’s foot and would not let her go. Cox then allegedly retrieved a large butcher knife from the kitchen, holding it to the victim’s neck while threatening to kill her.

Deputies later reported that the victim received injuries consistent with the reported attack.

Despite searching the area for Cox deputies were not able to locate him at that time.

Several hours later just after 8:30 p.m., the victim’s sister again called 911 and reported Cox had returned to the trailer and was causing another disturbance with the victim.

When officials arrived back at the property they learned both Cox and the victim were inside the trailer and were refusing to come out.

Deputies surrounded the trailer and used a PA to order both subjects to come out. The “very emotional” victim eventually exited the trailer alone and was escorted to safety by officials at the scene.

Despite ordering Cox to exit the trailer he initially refused, leading to a brief standoff.

Cox eventually opened the door while armed with the butcher knife and “began flailing his arms around” while yelling, “Go ahead and shoot me,” according to SCSO.

“He kept yelling and refusing to surrender until Fritz the K9 was sent after him, taking him to the ground,” explained officials. “After Cox was handcuffed the butcher knife was found on the ground underneath him.”

After he was in custody, deputies transported Cox to an area hospital for treatment of his dog bites and he was later booked into Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, terrorist threats, and resisting or obstructing a peace officer. Cox remains in custody, held on $150,000 bail.

 

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Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.