FAYETTEVILLE -- Bryan Scott Durbin pleaded guilty in Washington County Circuit Court on Thursday to attempted first-degree battery for shooting at a Fayetteville police officer.
Durbin, 43, homeless, was arrested Sept. 8, 2015 and charged with attempted capital murder and terroristic threatening. The terroristic threatening charged was dropped as part of the plea bargain.
Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay sentenced Durbin to 30 years at the Arkansas Department of Correction with 15 years suspended.
"This was an extremely dangerous situation, and the Fayetteville Police Department is to be commended for protecting the public, the motorists on College Avenue and ultimately resolving the situation without any injuries to anyone," said Mieka Hatcher, deputy prosecuting attorney.
Police were called to a hostage situation in Room 130 at Motel 6 at 2980 N. College Ave. where they heard a disturbance in the background, according to police records. Durbin used a gun to threaten his girlfriend, Teresa Lynn Johnson, 45, according to police documents. He told police he wanted to die, was intoxicated and had no place to go.
The motel was evacuated. Part of College Avenue was blocked off because Durbin could have fired at traffic from his motel room, police said.
Durbin released Johnson then pointed his handgun directly at Officer Daniel Plume, who was against a wall on the west side of the motel and fired one round, according to the report. Plume was not injured.
Durbin barricaded himself in the room and negotiated with police for the next four hours. He was arrested after he appeared to fall asleep on a bed while police talked with him, according to dispatch records. Police said they found a bullet hole in an adjoining door to Durbin's room.
NW News on 04/07/2017