On November 25, 2025, law enforcement responded to a domestic assault in progress at a residence in Lakeville, Dakota County, Minnesota. While enroute, officers learned that the Victim (a fully identified adult female) reported that her boyfriend DERRICK DANTE WOODSON [DOB REDACTED], the Defendant herein, choked her and then left the residence in a motor vehicle. Victim reported that she and Defendant were downstairs drinking and watching a movie together when they began to argue about the name of Defendant’s book.
Victim went upstairs and Defendant followed her and continued to argue with her. While in the bedroom, Defendant pushed Victim down onto the bed and put his left hand around her throat and began strangling her. Defendant then put both hands around her throat and began to squeeze while pushing her down on the bed. Defendant stopped strangling Victim [NAME REDACTED] in the hallway that they thought was one of the children coming into the room. When Defendant realized there were no children around, he continued strangling Victim.
Victim could not breathe and felt like she was going to lose consciousness. Victim tried to speak while she was being strangled but her ability to talk was strained. Officers observed swelling and small welts on either side of Victim’s neck. When Defendant stopped strangling Victim, she called 911 and Defendant left the home in Victim’s vehicle. The suspect vehicle was located crashed into a ditch on the intersection of Dodd Boulevard and 210th Street West. The vehicle was unoccupied and had severe disabling damage.
Defendant was located running away from the vehicle and arrested. Defendant smelled of consumed alcoholic beverage and had bloodshot watery eyes. A search warrant for Defendant’s blood was executed and results are still pending. In a statement to law enforcement, Defendant admitted arguing with Victim but denied physically hurting Victim. Defendant admitted drinking whiskey and beer and driving on Dodd Blvd. Defendant did not remember the crash exactly but admitted leaving the wrecked vehicle and running into the woods.
Defendant has a prior Domestic Assault by Strangulation conviction from 2/2/2017 in Court File 62- CR-16-6685 and a prior DWI conviction from 1/24/2017 in Court File ••-CR-••-••••.
