Drug suspect who fled Task Force raid on Oates Avenue is arrested

More than a month after he escaped from the Metro Narcotics Task Force during a drug raid on Oates Avenue, Russell Napier was taken into custody on Wednesday, records show.

Napier of Columbus is held without bond in the Muscogee County Jail on charges of manufacturing a controlled substance with intent to distribute and trafficking in methamphetamine. He also faces one count each of possession of marijuana and use of drug-related objects.

The Task Force returned to the home at 4218 Oates Ave. on March 23 after a controlled purchase was made. At least nine people were inside the home when Napier and two others fled from the back door as agents arrived at 6:30 a.m. to execute the search.

During the search, agents found a locked bedroom door as they moved through the house and identified themselves as police officers. After forcing open the door, an agent said Brian Napier, the brother of Russell Napier, struck an agent with his hand and charged him. The agent fired a shot in Brian Napier’s left arm.

Napier was treated for a graze wound at Midtown Medical Center and later released.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate the officer-involved shooting, which is normal policy.

During the search, agents seized four hydrocodone tablets, six dilaudid tablets, 33 clonazepan tablets and almost three ounces of meth. The tablets combined with the meth had a total street value of $8,720. Police believe the drugs belonged to Brian Napier.

Police also arrested three other individuals at the scene. They were identified as Thomas Wrenn, 33, and Twain Griffis, 48, both of Columbus, and Sarah A. Jones, 33, of Cataula.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Drug suspect who fled Task Force raid on Oates Avenue is arrested."