Kelso, WA – A Kelso man is facing multiple felony charges after deputies say he allegedly assaulted his wife, held her against her will at gunpoint for several hours, and made statements during a 911 call indicating he wanted law enforcement to shoot him.
According to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 1:11 a.m. on Monday, July 20, 2026, Cowlitz 911 received a call from James M. Wood, 58, at a residence in the 1500 block of West Side Highway in Kelso. During the call, Wood reportedly asked deputies to remove his wife from the property and allegedly mentioned suicide. Deputies also had prior information indicating Wood had communicated an intent to force officers to shoot him.
At approximately 1:57 a.m., dispatchers received a call from Wood’s wife, who reported that Wood was armed and had held her against her will. According to deputies, she escaped to a neighboring residence and was safely removed from the area by responding officers.
Investigators allege Wood pointed a pistol at the victim, threatened to kill her, prevented her from leaving the residence for approximately four hours, and physically assaulted her, leaving visible bruising. The victim also reported that Wood was armed with two pistols inside the trailer.
The Lower Columbia SWAT Team was activated, and deputies obtained a search warrant. Authorities said Wood complied with commands and was taken into custody without incident. During the search, investigators recovered two pistols and additional evidence from the residence.
Wood was booked into the Cowlitz County Jail on allegations of first-degree assault (domestic violence), unlawful imprisonment (domestic violence), fourth-degree assault (domestic violence), and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence. The allegations have been filed by law enforcement, and Wood is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
