A 51-year-old local man was arrested by the sheriff’s department Wednesday after he allegedly shot his wife, then fled from deputies with his six-year-old child in the vehicle.

Ronald Jeffery Patterson was charged with aggravated assault, three counts of reckless endangerment and evading arrest. The woman reportedly suffered gunshot wounds to the hand and hip.

According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Patterson and his wife were arguing while he was driving a white Isuzu Rodeo with the couple’s children ages 6 and 4 in the vehicle as well. The man reportedly stopped near their home and fired a .22 caliber handgun, striking his wife. He then left the four year old at a family member’s house and drove away with the six year old.

Ray said the woman went to a Murfreesboro hospital for treatment, where the shooting was reported to Murfreesboro Police, who then notified DeKalb County.

“At approximately 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Central Dispatch in DeKalb County was notified by the Murfreesboro Police Department that a woman was in the hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand and hip,” the sheriff said. “The victim told the Murfreesboro Police Department that a verbal argument ensued between her husband and her. They argued while driving down the road in DeKalb County and then pulled into a driveway on Patterson Road. Their two children, ages six and four were with them. Patterson pulled out a .22 caliber pistol and fired once into a field and then fired once toward the victim hitting her. Patterson then left with the six-year-old child. The four-year-old stayed at a family member’s house.”

A detective was sent to Murfreesboro to take a statement, and the sheriff along with deputies and detectives went to the suspect’s Patterson Road home. While Patterson was not there, the officers began conducting interviews with other family members, when they saw him drive by.

.“We saw a vehicle drive by that matched the description of Patterson’s vehicle,” Ray said. “The vehicle drove past Patterson’s driveway and pulled into another driveway that leads back to his residence. Detectives tried to initiate a traffic stop by turning on their blue lights, but the vehicle did not stop. He drove behind his residence to a wooded area and into three bean fields. Although Patterson tried to get us stuck in the fields to keep us from catching him, we were able to stay with him in pursuit for about eight minutes until he drove back out through a bean field near Patterson Road, where he stopped. Patterson got out of his vehicle and was taken into custody without further incident. The six-year-old child, who was with Patterson during the pursuit, was not hurt,” the sheriff concluded.

Patterson’s bond is $85,000 and his court date is July 20.