Former Lowell cop remains in jail on $2 million bond

FAYETTEVILLE -- Skylar Houston, the former Lowell police officer arrested July 23 after being shot at the end of a six-hour standoff with Fayetteville police, will remain in jail on a $2 million bond.

Houston was arraigned Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court on eight felony and two misdemeanor charges.

The charges are simultaneous possession of drugs and firearm, a Class Y felony; conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, a Class A felony; terroristic act, a Class B felony; unlawful use of a communications device, a Class C felony; criminal mischief, a Class C felony; aggravated assault, a Class D felony; possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, a Class D felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony; carrying a weapon, a Class A misdemeanor; and resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor.

Houston's bond was continued at $2 million, according to the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. His next court appearance was set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 14 in Circuit Judge Joanna Taylor's court the Prosecutor's Office office.

Houston, 29, of Huntsville, was shot by Fayetteville police after officers with the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force tried to arrest him as part of a drug investigation, according to information from the Fayetteville Police Department.

Detectives arranged to buy methamphetamine from Houston and found a stolen firearm during a search of his home April 1, according to police.

Detectives tried to arrest Houston around 3:25 p.m. July 23 in the McDonald's parking lot at 587 E. Joyce Blvd. Detectives saw him through the rear window of his vehicle put a gun to his head as they approached. Patrol officers and members of the department's crisis negotiations team and emergency response team went to the location, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Police used a chemical irritant to force him out of the vehicle after about six hours of negotiation, with Houston still refusing to leave his vehicle. Houston was still holding a gun to his head when he got out of the vehicle, police said, and refused to comply with orders to put the gun down, according to the arrest report. Members of the response team fired several rounds from a pepper ball gun at Houston, who ran east into another parking lot and tried to enter Cleo's Furniture at 636 E. Joyce Blvd.

Houston fired his gun into the glass door of the business in an attempt to enter the furniture store, according to court records.

Officers continued to order Houston to drop his weapon. Two patrol officers fired their weapons when he refused. Police said Houston fell to the ground, but immediately got up, leaving his gun. He ran toward some officers, and a stun gun was used by the officers he was running toward to stop him, police said.

Houston was taken to a local hospital for treatment before being booked into the Washington County Detention Center.

Fayetteville police later identified the two officers who fired their weapons as Officer Jon Haydon, a five-year veteran with the department, and Officer Chase Harris, who has been with the department for more than two years.

Both officers were placed on administrative leave after the shooting, the department said, and have since been returned to duty after an internal investigation by the Fayetteville Police Department and a criminal investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office cleared them of any misconduct.