Centralia police arrest wanted man accused of using child as a human shield

UPDATE 1/30: Petty was charged with assault, resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child.

According to the probable cause statement, Petty is a danger to the community because he had been previously charged with multiple other violent offenses.

ORIGINAL STORY: Centralia police arrested Derrick Petty on Sunday after officers discovered he had multiple warrants out of Boone County.

Police said they made contact with Petty because he was a possible witness to careless and imprudent driving on Remington Drive.

Officers said Petty began acting evasive and disappeared into a residence on the street.

It was discovered that Petty had $49,000 worth of Boone County warrants and was considered armed and dangerous.

Police said after searching through a residence, they found Petty hiding in a bedroom closet, covered in clothes.

Petty was accused of grabbing a child and began using him as shield. He demanded officers to shoot and kill him.

One officer received an eye injury while he was trying to arrest Petty. Also during the incident, Petty began banging his head on the floor, or anything he could find, with seizure like activity.

Police said Petty was taken outside but became combative again.

Petty was eventually taken to University Hospital and released. He was then taken to Boone County Jail.

Petty faces possible charges of assaulting a special victim, resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child.