HAMLET — A man is accused of scuffling with a police officer who was trying to arrest him on outstanding warrants from two other agencies.
Cpl. Kevin Viana was responding to a call regarding a suspicious person wearing dark clothing getting dropped off and picked up by a gray Chevrolet Impala in the Buttercup area — where there had been recent reported break-ins — around 2:30 a.m. Sept. 25, when he saw a vehicle matching the description, according to the Hamlet Police Department.
Viana also reportedly noticed that the car had a cardboard tag.
He initiated a traffic stop and the passenger reportedly opened the door and got out, but followed Viana’s order to get back in.
Viana discovered the passenger was 24-year-old Brian Devonte Dowdy, also known as “Billy Juice,” who was wanted on charges from the Rockingham Police Department and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Two other officers arrived on scene for backup.
When Viana tried to place Dowdy under arrest, the defendant reportedly pulled away from the handcuffs and tried to run. Viana reportedly grabbed Dowdy and they both went to the ground. The officer’s glasses were reportedly broken during the altercation.
During a search of the vehicle, police found a sawed-off 20-gauge shotgun and nine 20-gauge buckshot shells, according to the incident report.
Dowdy was charged with resisting a public officer, assault on a government officer or employee and injury to personal property, which are all misdemeanors.
Police say more charges are likely to be filed related to the traffic stop.
Dowdy was also served with the warrants from the other two agencies.
He is accused of conspiring with Raequan Lameek Ratliff and Roderick Hammond to steal two 20-volt DeWalt compact six-piece tool sets and a DeWalt five-tool two-volt max combo, along with the items’ anti-theft devices — all valued at more than $1,300 — from Lowe’s on Aug. 4.
Ratliff was arrested Aug. 23.
They are each charged with felony larceny, felony conspiracy and possession of stolen goods or property.
Both Dowdy and Ratliff are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 3, Hammond on Oct. 10.
Court records show Ratliff also has pending charges of misdemeanor larceny and resisting a public officer and Hammond has two pending traffic violations.
Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office charged Dowdy in an Aug. 12 robbery.
According to warrants, Dowdy threatened an Ellerbe man with a semi-automatic handgun and stole the victim’s wallet, $450 in currency and an LG Boost cellphone.
He was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon in that case.
Richmond County Jail records show Dowdy also has two counts of failure to appear and a parole violation stemming from Mecklenburg County.
Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Dowdy’s current location as Mecklenburg County and that his parole was supposed to end Sept. 17.
He was convicted in 2016 of possession of a firearm by a felon and served 11 months. However, two months later he was convicted on a post-release revocation and sentenced to another nine months. During that time, Dowdy was convicted of assault by strangulation, assault on a female and communicating threats, for crimes committed within two months of his release.
He was last released Dec. 21, 2018, records show.
Dowdy is being held without bond on the parole violation; a combined $5,000 secured bond on the two failure to appear charges; a $75,000 secured bond on the sheriff’s office charges; a $25,000 secured bond on the Rockingham charges; and a $4,000 secured bond on the Hamlet charges.
State records show Dowdy was first convicted in 2011 of misdemeanor larceny and given probation.
He was also initially given a suspended sentence in 2013 when convicted on two counts of extortion. His probation was revoked nine months later and he spent the next 13 months behind bars, with the added conviction of resisting a public officer.
Released in November 2014, he had a partial post-release revocation in August 2015 and was incarcerated for another two months.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
