04/10/09 — Deputy recovering

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Deputy recovering

By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on April 10, 2009 1:46 PM

GREENVILLE -- A Lenoir County deputy who was wounded in a shootout Tuesday night is recovering at Pitt Memorial Hospital, Sheriff Billy Smith said.

Det. Ryan Dawson underwent surgery after a shooting that left another deputy dead, along with the assailant and the assailant's girlfriend.

Det. Allen Pearson was killed when lawmen surrounded Clarence Douglas Phillips in a woods. Phillips died in the shootout. His girlfriend, Cynthia Tillett Knighten, was found dead in her home.