Bartlett Cop Arrested for Gas Attack

Covington, TN - A Bartlett police officer was arrested Friday for assaulting his girlfriend by allegedly dousing her with gasoline and threatening to light her and the house on fire.

44-year old Master Patrolman, Phillip Devers, is now charged with domestic aggravated assault. Devers was arrested at his Bartlett home after allegedly forcing his way into his girlfriends Tipton county home, spitting in her girlfriends face and threatening to set her on fire.

Tipton County Deputy Chief Donna Turner says, "He did forcefully drag her from the residence to the porch area, poured gasoline on her and the house and threatened to burn her and the residence".

But the Bartlett police officers girlfriend was able to get to a phone and call for help. Deputies say Devers was not there when they arrived.

Turner says, "We did confirm he lived in Shelby County, he was located and arrested".

The Bartlett police chief says Devers is on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation. Devers has been in the police department since 1994. The chief says he's been on a combination of departmental and medical leave since last year, but wouldn't expand further.

Devers recently testified about finding the bodies of Lillian and Clarence James during the Henry Lee Jones capital murder trial.

He also testified during the 2004 John Britt trial, the former head of security for Memphis City Schools, convicted for trying to hire a hit man to kill his estranged wife. At the time, Devers testified his wife was having an affair with Britt but that he was not involved in the investigation.

The Bartlett Police Chief says Dever's duty weapon has been taken away.

Devers is out of jail after posting a $1,500 bond on Saturday.
His girlfriend has filed an order of protection.

Tipton County could find no other record of domestic violence between Devers and his girlfriend.

We tried contacting Devers this afternoon, but his home voicemail was full.