Blount fugitive seized; Greenback man tries suicide during arrest

By Darren Dunlap
of The Daily Times Staff

 
A Greenback man on Blount County's Most Wanted list pulled a handgun during an arrest on Wednesday and pointed it at himself.

Donald Eugene Breeden Sr., 62, Russell Hollow Road, Greenback, had been served with outstanding felony warrants at 2:57 p.m. Wednesday and was locking up his residence when he pulled a .38-caliber handgun. According to BCSO Deputy Joe S. Taylor, Breeden was walking through the bedroom when he reached for a piece of clothing on the bed and came up with the gun.

He pointed it at his chest, said he didn't want to go to jail and that he was going to kill himself, according to Taylor.
Taylor tried to convince Breeden not to do it, but noticed he was beginning to squeeze the trigger. The deputy was able to get his attention for just a moment, then drew his Tazer and fired, hitting Breeden in the chest.

"I saw Mr. Breeden's fingers go straight out as he began to fall backwards on the bed, and I charged him and grabbed the gun from his hand," according to Taylor's report.

Breeden was handcuffed and taken to Blount Memorial Hospital for assessment, Taylor stated. After Breeden's release, he was taken to jail.

The sheriff's office found Breeden with the help of a tip. Someone saw Breeden on Blount County's Most Wanted list on the BCSO Web site and called it in, according to Marian O'Briant, BCSO public information officer.

According to Blount County Circuit Court records, a warrant was issued for Breeden's arrest in 2005 on a charge of violation of probation granted after a felony conviction. He was first arrested on possession of a Schedule VI (marijuana) substance in 2003. He allegedly violated his probation when he was arrested on a charge of possession of a Schedule VI substance in Transylvania County, N.C. in November 2005 and failed to report it to his probation officer, the warrant stated.

Blount County jail records show Breeden was taken into custody Wednesday on charges of violation of probation granted after a felony conviction and possession of a Schedule VI substance with intent to sell or deliver. He was being held without bond pending 9 a.m. June 1 hearings in Blount County General Sessions Court.

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5/25/09