VENTURA : Man Arrested in Spouse-Abuse Case

A Ventura man surrendered to a police SWAT team surrounding his house about two hours after he allegedly holed up inside when officers arrived to investigate a spouse-abuse complaint.

The man, whose name was not released, was booked into Ventura County Jail on suspicion of felony spousal abuse and resisting arrest, police said.

The incident began about 7:30 p.m. Saturday when a woman in the 1600 block of Nevin Avenue called 911 to report that her husband was beating her, police said.

When officers arrived at the house, the wife and her three young children ran outside, but the man retreated into the house, police said. The woman suffered minor injuries, Ventura Police Cpl. John Leach said.

Officers talked to the man by phone for more than two hours, and a Special Weapons and Tactics team was called to storm the house in case he did not surrender. He eventually gave up without incident, police said.

It was unclear whether he was armed, although his wife told officers that he did not have a gun, police said.