A Hand Cove area man has been arrested on several felony charges after Sheriff's Deputies responded to a violent domestic disturbance overnight at 44 Rorex Lane.

A 911 call was received at approximately 12:16 AM this morning from this address reporting a fight in progress with shots fired. Sheriff's Deputy Charles Bost and other deputies responded. While enroute, deputies were told that gunshots were still being fired from the residence and that the person with the firearm was intoxicated.

On arrival, deputies found a female victim, identified as the girlfriend of the offender, hiding under the back porch of the residence. Deputies got her out from underneath the porch and moved her to a safe distance from the house. She told deputies that her boyfriend, identified as Curtis Sudduth, had been drinking heavily and had become very irate. She stated Sudduth threatened to hit her, and she then ran outside and hid under the porch. The victim then said she heard several shots fired from inside the residence. The victim was able to call her son, who lives nearby, and he came to the residence. Her son also told officers that he had heard gunshots coming from the house. He went inside and confronted Curtis Sudduth holding a rifle. Sudduth ordered the man to get out and held the rifle in a threatening manner toward him.

Neither of the victims nor deputies were able to determine whether or not Sudduth was still inside the residence when deputies arrived. Deputies remained on scene until after 4:30 AM attempting to make contact with Sudduth. Deputies believed that between 8 to 10 shots had been fired. Sudduth's pickup truck was found to have been run off the roadway a short distance from the residence. Deputies were not able to make contact with Sudduth either in person or by phone, and they left the residence along with the victims.

Later this morning at approximately 9:50 AM, deputies returned to the residence to assist the victim in retrieving some personal belongings. While there, deputies found Sudduth and were able to take him into custody without further incident. A .22 magnum rifle was also seized and taken into evidence, and the crime scene was processed. Sheriff's Investigator Sgt. Bob Buschbacher is in charge of the follow-up investigation.

Curtis Sudduth, 52 years old of 44 Rorex Lane in Hand Cove, was  charged with:

Aggravated Assault - Felony
Terroristic Threatening - Felony
Committing a Terroristic Act - Felony

Curtis Sudduth was incarcerated in the Baxter County Detention Center with bond set at $50,000. He is scheduled to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court on November 12th.  

/s/ John F. Montgomery
Baxter County Sheriff