Scuffle leaves Lawrence officer injured and Arkansas man facing criminal charges after being tased

Lawrence Police Department

A reportedly drug-fueled scuffle at a local hotel left one Lawrence Police Officer injured and a Fayetteville, Ark., man tased, pepper-sprayed and facing criminal charges.

On the afternoon of June 12, Lawrence Police Officers Larry Hamilton and Leo Souders arrived at the Quality Inn, 801 Iowa St., where a man — later identified as Eric Ryan Lawson — was reported to be in the middle of a nervous breakdown, according to a recently-released arrest affidavit filed in Douglas County District Court. There, the officers met a man who warned them that Lawson would likely be angry that the police had been called.

Inside the hotel the officers came across a woman familiar to them who told them Lawson was nearby and likely under the influence of drugs, the affidavit says. Soon after the officers approached, Lawson ran outside and toward the parking lot, according to the affidavit, and the officers followed.

Outside both Hamilton and Souders repeatedly asked Lawson, 29, what was wrong and whether they could help, the affidavit says, noting that “Lawson seemed very agitated and was pacing back and forth.”

Lawson did talk to officers but his speech was unintelligible and he began looking at them with “crazy eyes,” the affidavit says; soon he began yelling “kill me,” told the police he had warrants out for his arrest, clenched his fists and puffed out his chest.

Hamilton drew his Taser and ordered Lawson on the ground, the affidavit says, but Lawson refused and began to move aggressively.

Believing Lawson was about to hit Souders, Hamilton tased him, the affidavit says, but Lawson was apparently unfazed.

“Lawson had a very brief, approximately one second, involuntary muscle contraction before frantically reaching and pulling the probes from his chest,” the affidavit says.

Hamilton tried to tase Lawson again, the affidavit says.

The two officers then wrestled with Lawson, working to force his hands behind his back, the affidavit says. Although Lawson is described as a slender man, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, he was able to lift himself off the ground with Hamilton, who weighs around 245 pounds, and Souders on top of him.

During the struggle, Lawson continued to yell “kill me,” the affidavit says. Soon, another officer arrived on scene, pepper-sprayed Lawson’s face, and the three police men continued to struggle.

The three officers held Lawson down, waiting for a fourth to arrive so they could handcuff him, the affidavit says, and at one point Lawson told the officers he had smoked meth.

Once a police sergeant arrived on scene, the four were able to handcuff Lawson and place him in safety restraints, the affidavit says, but during the process Lawson began hitting his head on the pavement and nearby rocks. He was then transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

An arrest affidavit is a sworn document filed by police explaining the reasons for an arrest. Allegations in an arrest affidavit still must be proved in court.

Souders’ finger was broken during the scuffle, while Hamilton suffered minor abrasions on his forearm, and his sunglasses were broken and his shirt “significantly bloodstained,” the affidavit says.

Lawson was later booked into the Douglas County Jail. He faces one felony charge of battery against a law enforcement officer and misdemeanor charges of assault of a law enforcement officer and battery against a law enforcement officer.

Lawson is scheduled to appear in court on at 2 p.m. Aug. 4.