Newly obtained records: May jail gunfight involved female driver, juvenile, love triangle?

ASHEVILLE - Newly obtained police and court records have unveiled more details of the May 7 gunfight at the downtown county jail, including the involvement of a possible love triangle, a female driver and a juvenile.

According to a civil suit filed against him Aug. 2, in the hours leading up to a shootout with police that left him wounded, Ryan Ricky Houston, 40, became "enraged" with his wife, went to a friend of his wife's home and assaulted him, causing "facial fractures." After the assault, Houston “kicked and caused damage to a vehicle being operated by his wife while his children were inside the vehicle.” He then left the friend’s home but returned later and caused “significant destruction to the home and stole a firearm,” according to the suit.

Authorities say Houston walked into the lobby of the Buncombe County Detention Center at 20 Davidson Drive, at about 1:40 a.m. May 7, and, according to the civil summons document, started communicating threats to his wife. Sheriff's deputy William Johnston attempted to speak with Houston and de-escalate the situation, but Houston became "further enraged" with the deputy, according to the court document.

When Johnston and APD officer Megan Hansford approached to arrest him, Houston "resisted arrest and an altercation ensued," according to a Sheriff's Office news release. Houston produced a firearm and shot Johnston in the shoulder. Johnston returned fire and struck Houston, who fled the scene.

Police call logs showed Asheville Police Department officers and Buncombe County sheriff’s deputies responded to the gunfire outside the doors of the Buncombe County Detention Center.

What happened after Houston left the detention center?

According to the logs, after the shootout, Houston went to a Fairview address and asked a female to drive him to Mission Memorial Hospital.

The female drove Houston to Mission in the early morning hours of May 7, the call logs detail, leaving a 14-year-old juvenile alone with what officers reported at the time to be the firearm Houston used to shoot Johnston “on the left shoulder blade” during the altercation. The incident report lists a "handgun" as the firearm used.

At Mission, which went into full lockdown around 2:08 a.m., APD made a traffic stop at Entrance 4 of the hospital, when it was reported that Houston was in the passenger seat of the female’s grey Ford Expedition, the same make and model spotted outside the detention center earlier in the night, according to the call logs. At 2:26 am, nearly an hour after the incident at the jail began, Officer Avisha Millsaps called in that Houston was not following commands and concealing his right arm. Another officer reported police were holding him at gunpoint.

More: Man shot in jail gunfight with deputy, Asheville police out of hospital; court date set

The logs then describe the man's wounds, saying he was shot “at least two times” and then “at least once.” APD spokesperson Samantha Booth confirmed with the Citizen Times July 31 that APD took Houston into custody at Mission Hospital.

Houston was arrested at 2:29 a.m., and officers advised Mission Hospital 10 minutes later that the suspect was incoming, according to the call records obtained by the Citizen Times. Houston spent more than two weeks in the hospital before being transferred to jail, the Citizen Times previously reported. The female driver was taken into custody at 2:34 am.

The Citizen Times has reached out to APD to confirm the name of the female driver and if she has been charged with any crimes from the incident.

The firearm was collected from the Fairview residence by officers at about 4:31 a.m., and the juvenile was taken into custody by a family friend at the request of the juvenile’s mother, according to the call logs. The juvenile’s parents were with an APD unit at the hospital, as called in by officer Rebecca Williams at 2:34 a.m. The female driver’s relation to the juvenile is currently unconfirmed.

During Houston’s arrest, a rifle bag was reportedly seen in the backseat of the car. In the incident report, a rifle is listed under evidence. It is described as an "Anderson/AM-15," a type of AR-15 semiautomatic weapon, according to Gun Digest.

One part of the log describes a “party lockdown” at the magistrate's office due to a “female blood emergency” but gives no further explanation.

Angie Grube, spokesperson for the State Bureau of Investigation, said the SBI is not able to provide any case specific information. However, she did tell the Citizen Times Aug. 1 that the investigation into the shooting and assault of an officer remains ongoing.

What comes next?

Houston was charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm and multiple other offenses including three counts of misdemeanor assaultive child abuse, according to the county detention center database. He was being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility but, according to the jail's front desk, he was released to pretrial Aug. 1. Thomas Amburgey, Houston's attorney, said he posted his $1.5 million bond. Houston had a court hearing July 31, when Amburgey requested a change in electronic monitoring device due to the type usually used for pretrial being unavailable. Houston’s next court date was set for Dec. 4.

More: No charges for deputy involved in gunfight in downtown Asheville jail: Buncombe DA

Johnston, the sheriff deputy who returned fire against Houston, will not have any criminal charges filed against him, District Attorney Todd Williams announced July 28. Johnston was placed on administrative leave while recovering from a bullet wound to the shoulder, as last reported in May by sheriff’s spokesperson Aaron Sarver. The Sheriff’s Office has not yet confirmed if Johnston has returned to work.

Johnston filed a civil summons against Houston Aug. 2, suing him on four counts including assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and gross negligence. Johnston is seeking at least $25,000 in damages from Houston.

Grube confirmed that SBI's investigation into the officer involved shooting has closed now that the DA has made a decision.

Hansford, the APD officer, sustained injuries that did not require medical attention and was also placed on administrative leave, Booth, the APD spokesperson, previously said. Hansford has since returned to duty, based on a warrant signed by her July 29.

The Citizen Times reached out to both Johnston and Hansford but did not receive a response before press time.

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. News tips? Email Ryley at [email protected]. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Newly obtained records unveil new details of Asheville jail shootout