Two Dane County Sheriff’s deputies and a K-9 were injured early Monday during an altercation with a California man in the town of Oregon.
A deputy responded to a suspicious vehicle call at 1:45 am on Monday, June 29. The caller had previously reported concerning communication from an ex-boyfriend, according to a news release from the Dane County Sheriff's Office.
When she saw someone outside her home in the middle of the night, she called 911.
The first responding deputy found Keith T. Staley, 40, of Pasadena, California, outside the home.
Deputies say Staley refused to remove his hands from his pockets and was not responding to the deputy’s commands.
Staley approached the deputy and verbally threatened his life while refusing to follow deputy’s commands and became physically aggressive, according to the news release.
A K-9 was sent after Staley, who kicked and struck the dog. A second deputy arrived on scene and while trying to restrain the suspect, Staley grabbed the deputy’s firearm and attempted to remove it from the holster.
He also knocked a baton out of the other deputy’s hand. Ultimately, Staley was taken into custody and is currently being held in the Dane County Jail.
Both deputies were treated and released at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The K-9 was also treated at a local veterinarian. Without the intervention by the K-9, this incident could have had a tragic ending, according to the sheriff's office.
This case remains an open investigation, and an additional charge of Stalking is pending
Photo: WKOW