A Columbia man assaulted two Columbia police officers Monday afternoon as he was being arrested on three outstanding drug warrants from 2006, Columbia police said.
Russell Crews, 24, of Columbia, was arrested at 4:52 p.m. in central Columbia on suspicion of one count of possessing a controlled substance and two counts of distributing a controlled substance near schools, narcotics unit supervisor Sgt. Scott Young said.
Crews was arrested after an officer recognized him riding in a car near the intersection of Ash Street and McBaine Avenue, Young said.
After being handcuffed and put into a patrol car, Crews began to kick the car door, Young said. As officers tried to place Crews into leg restraints, Crews tried to bite one officer and get the gun out of the holster of another officer, police said. A safety device prevented Crews from getting the gun out of the holster, Young said.
Young said officers used pepper spray to get Crews under control. Once he reached the station, police said Crews complained of being hurt. After paramedics arrived, they gave Crews an ice pack for his arm, Young said.
Crews was arrested on suspicion of one count of first-degree assault, one count of third-degree assault and one count of resisting arrest as a result of the incident, in addition to the outstanding warrants, according to information on the Boone County Jail Web site.