Officer James Woodrow

"It hurt so much.....just pulling the trigger....oh, Jackson...
 * —James, after confessing to shooting his son"

Officer James Woodrow, more commonly known as Officer Woodrow, is a supporting character and minor antagonist in the first Wither Springs game.

Personality
James is very determined in his work and is determined to bring Jay to justice, no matter what the cost is. Part of this is his fear for Jay's well-being, as he had a traumatic experience years ago with his criminal son. Eventually, his need to arrest Jay becomes an obsession, as he slowly starts to lose his mind, culminating in him attacking Jay in the courtyard.

Biography
Not much is known about James's life prior to the events of the first game. He was born in 1938 and lived in Wither Springs during the first game, judging by his house. The only known event in his life was when his son Jackson robbed a bank. He was deployed to the scene, and upon seeing his son, dropped his gun. His son apparently took a man hostage and threatened to shoot his victim in the head. Woodrow was forced to shoot his son in the stomach.

Wither Springs
Jay Donovan is being escorted in the back of a police car on a rainy night to the town of Wither Springs, where he will be placed in the Barker Prison. As he is sitting in silence, he begins to have incredible headaches. The police officer tells him to listen, and as Jay continues to be struggle with his headaches, the officer turns around to berate him. However, this distraction proves disastrous, as the police car spins out of control due to the slick road and crashes headlong into a tree. Jay survives with minimal damage and climbs out of the car. The police officer, still alive, is pinned against the dashboard. As he yells at Jay for help, Jay helps Officer Woodrow, only to ditch him and flee.

Jay exits the theatre and begins to search for Angelica when he is interrupted by a voice. Jay turns around and is surprised to see Officer Woodrow limping towards him. Jay begins to flee, but is shot in the leg by the officer. He falls and hits his head on the pavement, knocking himself unconscious.

Jay wakes up in the police station, in a holding cell. His head is throbbing and his weapons have been taken away from him. Woodrow confesses to Jay that he knows what its like to do what Jay did. He tells Jay about how his son had taken a man hostage and how much pain he felt in having to shoot his own son. Suddenly, a hermit-like man bursts into the police station and demands to talk to Jay. Woodrow says no, but the man runs to Jay's cell. The man introduces himself as Emmett Hartman and tells Jay about how he's being targeted by "special people". He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crucifix, then gives it to Jay. He tells Jay to get to the school, which is where the Mandola is being completed. Emmett turns around and punches Woodrow in the face, knocking him unconscious and freeing Jay.

Jay and Angelica make their way to the hotel, encountering SmileBeasts, Faded Lens, and Halfers. By completing several puzzles, they unlock access to the courtyard. Upon entering the courtyard, they encounter Woodrow, who was searching for Jay in the hotel. Woodrow says he's had enough, and begins a fight with Jay. Jay eventually shoots him in the stomach, and Woodrow is dragged away kicking and screaming by the Slaughterman. Using a key that fell from the officer's pocket, Jay and Angelica unlock the ballroom, which leads to the second floor as well.

In the cavern, they come across the site of a ritual. There is a giant mandola painted on the cave floor, with a body nailed to the floor on each point, except for two. Officer Woodrow is one of the victims, and he appears to be dead. The other recognizable victim is Emmett, who is still alive. He tells them to stop the creation of the mandola under any circumstances.

Encounter
Officer Woodrow is finally fought in the Hotel Courtyard of the Kubrick Hotel. James walks slowly after Jay. He is capable of shooting him with a handgun that will instantly take the player's health to red on medium and hard difficulty, showing that he is very dangerous. On Easy Difficulty, he will take 10 bullets before the fight is over.

Quotes

 * "It hurt so much.....just pulling the trigger....oh, Jackson..."
 * "Listen, Donovan, I ain't playin' around anymore, you hear?"
 * "Did you hear me?"
 * "Keep quiet back there!"

Trivia

 * Officer Woodrow is the second character seen in the game.
 * He is also the first character to say a line.