A Downsville man who told officers he had a gun in his backpack while being placed under arrest early Saturday now faces a charge of aggravated assault on a peace officer, according to an arrest affidavit.
Aiden Jace Yarbrough, 20, was arrested by Ruston Police at 12:49 a.m. Sept. 26 near Vienna Street and East Park Avenue.
Officers were handling a disturbance at the intersection when Yarbrough kept trying to speak with the man they were dealing with, asking if he wanted to fight later. The man told Yarbrough several times to leave him alone.
A deputy gave Yarbrough a lawful order to step away, which Yarbrough ignored. An officer then told Yarbrough to leave or he would be arrested. Yarbrough began slowly backing away while clutching a small black backpack to his chest and said he had his “strap,” a common slang term for a firearm.
When asked if he had any firearms, Yarbrough said officers could search him, but he kept the backpack close with his hand toward its opening. He appeared to be moving his hand closer to the opening when he was placed in handcuffs and advised of his rights.
Yarbrough was slurring his words heavily, and the officer smelled alcohol on him. A search of Yarbrough and the backpack turned up no firearm.
Yarbrough was taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked on charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer and disturbing the peace by public intoxication. He was released on his own recognizance on the public intoxication charge.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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