Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Sweet Home police arrested a woman Thursday night after she allegedly reported shooting her husband.
Officers and deputies closed off a section of 4th Ave in Sweet Home Thursday afternoon after a female caller twice called 911.
The first call was received at 2:20 p.m., Police Chief Bob Burford said. The female caller told police her husband was going to kill her.
During the conversation, a dispatcher asked her if he had a gun, Burford said. She replied that he did not, but she did and was going to kill him. Shortly after, she hung up on the dispatcher.
Police responded to the residence, 845 Fourth Ave., and met Debra Tertrou, 49, coming out of the house to meet them.
“She told officers she was not going to shoot her current husband but meant her ex-husband in California,” Burford said.
Officers contacted her current husband, who was passed out in the living room, Burford said. He denied any knowledge of any problem. Police did observe firearms in the house but there was no indication they had been disturbed.
Police eventually cleared the area after warning Tertrou for disorderly conduct and misuse of 9-1-1, Burford said.
At approximately 3:05 p.m., 9-1-1 received a second call from Tertrou, Burford said. This time, she reported she had just shot her husband. She then hung up and would not answer any calls into the residence.
Police took up tactical positions, closed off the street, put a medical unit on standby and evacuated nearby neighbors, Burford said. Officers contacted her using a pubic address system; and her husband, Jean Tertrou, came out of the house, unharmed. He was moved to a safe location.
Debra Tertou then barricaded herself in the residence, Burford said. A police officer was eventually able to communicate with Tertou. After approximately one hour, he was able to talk her into coming out of the residence and surrendering.
Tertou was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and two counts of initiating a false report. Police seized several firearms. Jean Tertou was not charged with any crime.