State Police say the Floyd County man charged with firing at a sheriff’s deputy – striking him in the hand — then taking off, remains jailed without bond, with more charges pending. Troopers say it happened at traffic stop early last Friday morning, and 34-year-old Samuel Hale of Floyd was later taken into custody after police disabled his vehicle. The deputy was released after hospital treatment.
FROM STATE POLICE: FLOYD, Va. – At the request of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation (Salem), is investigating an officer involved shooting which occurred Friday morning, October 11, 2019 in Floyd County.
The incident began at 1:17 a.m. when a Floyd County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to stop an older model, blue, Dodge flatbed pickup for suspicious activity. The pickup truck came to a stop when the deputy activated his lights. A male driver exited the vehicle and opened fire with a handgun on the deputy; striking the deputy in the hand. The male then got back into the pickup and fled; a pursuit of the vehicle ensued.
The pursuit continued into Montgomery County on Christiansburg Pike, near Little River Road, where the pickup was disabled. The driver again exchanged gunfire with officers. The subject then barricaded himself in the pickup truck and would not comply with the officer’s commands to put the weapon down.
With the truck disabled and the subject contained, a Floyd County Sheriff’s Office Negotiator was able to open dialog with the subject. Through this negotiation, the extremely intoxicated subject agreed to put the gun down, and was then taken into custody by the Virginia State Police Division VI Tactical Team.
Samuel Wayne Hale, 34, of Floyd, Va. was treated and released by EMS for minor injuries received during the incident and the arrest. Hale has been charged with Malicious Wounding of a Law Enforcement Officer and was transported to the New River Valley Regional Jail; where he was held without a bond. More charges are pending.
The Floyd County Deputy was treated and released from the hospital.
The incident remains under investigation.
