Update: Police release name of suspect shot during 28th Street arrest

Update: Towon Obryan Earl, 29, of Columbus was identified as the suspect shot by a Columbus police officer Tuesday morning during an arrest on 28th Street, according to a report.

Earl was taken into custody at 10:40 a.m. on three counts of aggravated assault and one count each of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, theft by receiving stolen property in another state, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, theft by receiving stolen property and reckless conduct. He has been released from Columbus Midtown Medical Center and booked into the Muscogee County Jail without bond.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Earl was attempting to flee police when he struck Officer Michael Aguilar with the bumper of his vehicle. Officials said the driver's door struck Columbus Police Officer Ryan Vardman, and the officer jumped into the moving vehicle to avoid getting run over.

Unable to get completely inside of the vehicle, Vardman grabbed onto the car, according to GBI.

Authorities said Earl pulled forward and the driver's door struck Cpl. Officer Dean Spata. The impact pushed Vardman further into the vehicle. The officer tried to pull himself all the way into the vehicle and away from danger but wasn't able to do so, officials stated.

The driver dragged Vardman along before striking another vehicle and an apartment, officials added.

Police said Earl was in possession of 2.0 grams of suspected cocaine, a stolen gun and a stolen Honda Accord worth $10,000.

Earl appeared in Recorder's Court hearing at 9 a.m. today on the aggravated assault on police officer charges. The other charges will be presented in court later this week.

Muscogee County court records show Earl has a history of run-ins with the law, but no violent felonies.

On July 18, 2005, when he was 20, Earl was charged with theft by receiving stolen property, having no driver's license, no state car tag and no proof of insurance. The theft charge was dropped and he was sentenced to 12 months' probation on each of the other charges.

On Aug. 2, 2005, police charged him with simple assault while attempting to commit violent injury for advancing with a knife on a woman he lived with. He was sentenced to 12 months' probation.

On Aug. 9, 2006, he and two other men were charged with theft by receiving a stolen car, a 2000 Chevy Malibu, but prosecutors chose not to pursue the case.

On Dec. 27, 2006, police charged Earl with possessing both cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute. He was sentenced to five years with six months to serve in jail and the rest on probation.

On Sept. 19, 2007, authorities charged him with obstructing police and giving officers a false name. He was sentenced to 12 months' probation on each count.

On Jan. 11, 2008, he again was charged with giving police a false name, and with possessing less than an ounce of marijuana, crossing jail guard lines with marijuana he tried to hide in the police car, having no driver's license and no proof of insurance. For this his probation was revoked, and he was sentenced to serve 12 months in jail.

On June 5, 2010, police charged him with battery involving visible harm for repeatedly punching a man. The case was dead-docketed.

On June 23, 2010, he was charged with simple battery for striking his child's mother and knocking her down. This case also was dead-docketed.

On Aug. 26, 2014, two days after his 28th birthday, Earl was charged with having no driver's license and no tail lights. He again was sentenced to 12 months' probation.

Original Story: A shooting near the corner of Fourth Avenue and 28th Street around 10:30 a.m. has left a male officer and a suspect injured, according to authorities.

There's a heavy police presence with Chief Ricky Boren on the scene. Twenty-eighth Street is completely blocked off from Third Avenue to Fourth Avenue.

Boren said undercover units were in the area for a burglary detail when an officer smelled what he thought was drugs and approached a vehicle parked behind a residence.

While attempting to make an arrest, the officer somehow became hooked to the vehicle, Boren said.

"During the arrest procedure, the individual put the car in gear," Boren said, "and drug the officer around the front of another undercover vehicle that was there. It actually struck that vehicle."

A second police officer arrived, approached the car and saw the suspect reach for a weapon that was in sight, Boren said.

"The officer fired one time and struck the individual in the right leg," Boren said. The suspect suffered a single gunshot wound, he said.

Both the officer and suspect were taken to the emergency room. Officials said they believe the officer suffered head injuries.

Boren said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called to the scene and will investigate the shooting.

Most of the investigation is happening closer to Fourth Avenue where police are looking around a four-door gold Honda sedan with a Georgia license plate. The driver's side door is open and the air bag appears to have been deployed.

The vehicle is on the grass in front of a one-story, brick apartment building that's part of a small complex with a row of five "shotgun"-style houses across the street on 28th.

Stay with ledger-enquirer.com for more details.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 11:15 AM with the headline "Update: Police release name of suspect shot during 28th Street arrest ."