Man accused of assaulting an officer and leaving him in the woods — Suffolk, VA
A Suffolk police officer is in critical condition and the man accused of assaulting him is behind bars.
Police say Joseph Staton, 43, of Portsmouth is charged with malicious wounding of a police officer, aggravated malicious wounding, shoot, stab, cut or wound, grand larceny of a police radio, possession of stolen vehicle, burglary, and third offense petit larceny for taking clothing from a residence.
Police say Staton assaulted Officer James WInslow and left him unconscious in the woods in the 1000 block of Nansemond Parkway near Portsmouth Boulevard.
Winslow responded to a call around 8:26 a.m. for a stolen vehicle when he chased Staton into a wooded area. Once he was in the woods, police say Staton used a blunt object to strike Officer Winslow in the face. A spokesperson says he suffered serious head injuries, as well as injuries to his arms.
When additional police officers responded to the scene they found the assaulted officer lying unconscious. At last check, Winslow is in critical condition at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Police credit neighbors for helping with the search. They say Staton kept moving from one place to another, and residents spotted him and tipped off police. One neighbor told police Staton changed out of the white t-shirt he was seen wearing in dashboard camera video.
Staton was eventually taken into custody after he was spotted running behind a nearby home. Suffolk police say Staton previously had a warrant out for his arrest in Norfolk for violating probation.
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/suffolk/assaulted-officer-found-unconscious
