A Fulton County man has been arrested on multiple charges, including seven felonies, after allegedly threatening a deputy with a gun and knife during an arrest attempt. Bobby Wayne Napier Jr., 37, of Salem, is being held in the Fulton County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
According to a probable cause affidavit from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred Sunday when a woman reported that Napier was at her residence. Napier has a prior domestic battery conviction involving the same woman from a 2021 incident.
When a deputy arrived at the scene, he informed Napier that he was being taken into custody. Napier allegedly resisted, and a physical altercation ensued. Despite repeated commands to place his hands behind his back, Napier kept his hands in front of and underneath his body as the struggle moved to the ground. The deputy attempted to subdue Napier using physical control techniques, but Napier reportedly continued to resist.
During the confrontation, Napier allegedly retrieved a gun, cocked its hammer, and threatened to shoot the deputy and the female caller. The deputy responded by striking Napier with his firearm, disarming him. Napier then allegedly produced a knife, but the deputy successfully disarmed him again and ultimately handcuffed him.
While processing Napier at the jail, authorities discovered additional firearm ammunition, as well as suspected marijuana and a smoking device. Napier faces felony charges for stalking, possession of a firearm by certain persons (as a convicted felon), aggravated assault, second-degree battery, terroristic threatening, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also faces misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass and resisting arrest.
Court records show Napier's history of prior felony arrests in Fulton, Izard, and Sharp counties dating back to 2013. In 2013, Napier was convicted in Sharp County of charges including breaking or entering, theft of property, and driving without proper registration. He was sentenced to probation.
In 2021, Napier was convicted in Fulton County for a felony domestic battery charge after assaulting a pregnant woman and his mother. He served 30 months in the Arkansas Department of Corrections as part of a plea agreement. Additional charges of third-degree domestic battery and aggravated assault from this incident were dismissed. That same year, Napier faced charges in Sharp County for fleeing law enforcement on a moped while carrying a sawed-off .22 rifle on school property. He accepted a plea deal and served a one-year sentence. Later in 2021, Napier was arrested in Izard County for possession of methamphetamine and sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Napier now awaits further legal proceedings in Fulton County.