Woman charged with grabbing officer's gun outside school
A Cottage Grove woman who allegedly tried to grab a police officer's gun during an argument with police has been charged in Washington County District Court.
According to the criminal complaint, Tahya Sanders, 37, shared joint custody of her 7-year-old daughter with the girl's father. But on Sept. 17, Sanders allegedly did not return the child to the father, as she had been scheduled to do.
Sanders later admitted in court she sent the child to Texas to live with Sanders' mother, the complaint says. The court ordered her to provide detailed information on the child's location, which Sanders refused.
On Thursday, Sanders walked into Cottage Grove Middle School to remove her 12-year-old son from the school district, according to the complaint.
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A police detective talked to Sanders, who police say became argumentative and disorderly inside the school.
Sanders walked outside, where two police officers questioned her about the whereabouts of her daughter.
She refused to provide that information and was told she was under arrest, according to the complaint.
During a scuffle with police, Sanders allegedly attempted to grab one of the officers' guns. Officers say they used a stun gun on her and took her into custody.
The Cottage Grove Police Department said Friday the girl's father is flying to Texas to pick her up.
Sanders was charged Friday with deprivation of parental rights, attempting to disarm a police officer and obstructing the legal process.