Billie Earl Nowell

One law enforcement officer went to the Washington County Hospital emergency room after an incident at the Washington County Jail Tuesday. According to the Washington County Communications Office, at 7:44 p.m. assistance was requested at the jail with retrieving items from an inmate. Both Washington County Sheriff’s personnel and Washington Police Department officers responded to the scene. It was after that that a Washington police officer went by private vehicle to the hospital.

Thirty-year-old Billie Earl Nowell of Washington was arrested for assault on a peace officer, willful injury causing serious injury, two counts of assault on a peace officer, and interference with official acts in a correctional facility – three felony counts and two serious misdemeanors. Nowell is being held at the Washington County Jail.

Washington County Sheriff Jared Schneider states Nowell was orignially arrested on January 12th for three drug related charges and has also been charged with disorderly conduct, on February 1st, for an incident that happened in the jail.

Washington Police Chief Greg Goodman tells KCII News the injured officer, Brian Van Willigen, has a broken left eye orbital bone.

11:40 a.m. UPDATE: Chief Goodman stated, the officer will not need surgery for the broken bone, as previously believed and as stated in an earlier version of this story.