Deputy injured after gunshot wound during standoff; man arrested

During a standoff in Springfield on June 17, a deputy sheriff was shot and a man was arrested.

According to a sheriff’s office press release, at approximately 3:50 p.m., members of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Unit attempted to serve a felony arrest warrant on 41-year-old Theodore Davis at a residence in the 1400 block of East Blaine Street when shots were fired at officers.

A deputy was struck by a bullet during the exchange, the press release states. However, the deputy’s armor prevented the bullet from causing him serious injury. The deputy was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

Davis was eventually persuaded by police officers and family members to leave the house, the press release said.

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott said nearly 100 officers from various law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation that led to Davis’ arrest. In addition to Greene County sheriff’s deputies and Springfield police officers, investigators from Christian, Lawrence and Webster counties also assisted.

According to Greene County Jail records, Davis is currently being held on a charge of first-degree assault.

According to court records, Davis was wanted on drug trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of alcohol. The charges stem from a September incident in which Davis allegedly drove his truck through the fence of a Missouri State University football field.

According to a probable cause statement, officers found large quantities of blue pills and white powder in Davis’ vehicle. In February, test results from the Missouri State Highway Patrol reportedly showed that the white powder tested positive for cocaine and one of the blue pills tested positive for fentanyl.

Joe Hadsall

Joe Hadsall is an education reporter for the Springfield Daily Citizen. Hadsall has more than twenty years of experience as an Ozarks reporter for the Joplin Globe, Christian County Headliner News and 417 Magazine. Reach him at (417) 837-3671 or [email protected]. More from Joe Hadsall