An Alabama state trooper who was demoted following a domestic incident last October was sent to rehab instead of jail, despite the fact that he drove his patrol car while under the influence of alcohol, pointed his state-issued gun at his estranged wife and fled from Arab police officers when they responded to the scene.

No charges were filed against Gary Shannon Gates, who lives in Huntsville. He also kept his job, which internal documents related to the incident indicate went against the Alabama Department of Public Safety's own discipline guide.

The Department of Public Safety released the following statement last week, after the incident came to light:

"The investigative results, taking into account Trooper Gates' overall positive 12-year work history, still warranted severe disciplinary action - demotion from the rank of corporal to trooper."

The incident began shortly after midnight on Oct. 24, when Gates' estranged wife called 911 and told dispatchers he was at her home, threatening her. According to documents obtained by AL.com, Gates had pulled his service weapon from where it was tucked into his pants at the small of his back, racked the gun's slide and threatened to kill her.

He also put the gun in his own mouth and threatened to shoot himself, the documents show. Gates fled when he realized his wife had called 911 but returned a short time later, after officers responded to her call for help.

When he saw officers, Gates ran to the back of the yard, jumped a fence and ran into the woods, leaving behind his state vehicle.

Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the documents.

The documents show that internal investigators caught up with Gates the following day at his home, where they found him asleep on the floor. Sgt. James Wharton, who wrote the reports, was one of them.

"Sergeant Wharton did not question you about the events because it was apparent that you needed immediate medical attention for your welfare," the report reads.

Gates was taken to a rehabilitation facility to begin an alcohol treatment program, the documents show.

The synopsis of the investigation into Gates' actions state that he committed domestic violence in the third degree and violated state personnel and Alabama Department of Public Safety rules and regulations. Despite that, Wharton recommended he keep his job.

"Due to his past performance history and his voluntary desire to seek medical help with his current issues, Sgt. Wharton recommends that Cpl. Gates be demoted to trooper status and transferred to an area where he can continue his treatment/recovery and salvage his career," the documents read.

Any future violations would result in progressive disciplinary actions, the documents said.

Two of Gates' supervisors endorsed Wharton's recommendation, but a third did not. Ultimately, the report was signed off on by John Richardson, the director of the Department of Public Safety.

The Department of Public Safety told AL.com on Friday that Gates is back on duty, but has been transferred out of Marshall County.

The results of the investigation into Gates' actions turned out markedly different from other, similar domestic violence cases researched by AL.com.

Freddie Lee Webber of Tuscaloosa was arrested Dec. 6, 2011, for chasing his girlfriend around their home, swinging a metal pole at her. Despite Webber's girlfriend saying she did not want him to get into trouble, he was arrested.

Webber was charged with third-degree domestic violence, the same crime the DPS reports indicate Gates committed. He eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year of probation.

More recently, in August 2013, a Huntsville police officer was arrested on that same charge. Jacob Ryan Askins was accused of following his wife to a neighbor's house, pushing her to the ground and grabbing her hair.

The case against Askins was ultimately dropped, but only after he successfully completed Madison County's pretrial diversion program, court records show. According to Lt. Darryl Lawson, a Huntsville Police spokesman, Askins remains on the police force.