Update: According to police spokesperson Debbie George, as of Sunday afternoon, Officer James Winslow was showing signs of improvement but is still in critical condition.
Suffolk police have arrested the man suspected of assaulting a police officer during a traffic stop Saturday morning, sending him to the hospital in critical condition.
Police say Joe Louis Staton, of Portsmouth, was caught around 3:45 p.m. behind a home on Nansemond Pkwy in Suffolk.
According to police spokesperson Debbie George, it all started in the 1000 block of Nansemond Pkwy when officer James Winslow pulled over an SUV, believed to be stolen from Norfolk. The driver ran off towards a wooded area.
Officer Winslow chased him on foot into the woods, where police say Staton then hit Winslow several times with a blunt object, rendering Winslow unconscious. He suffered serious injuries to his head, face, arm and shoulder.
Winslow was flown to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. According to George, Winslow is out of surgery and listed in critical condition.
Police say they searched for Staton for about seven hours before finding him behind a home on Nansemond Pkwy. He faces a long list of charges including: malicious wounding of police officer; aggravated malicious wounding; shoot, stab, cut or wound; grand larceny (police radio); possession of stolen property (vehicle); burglary; and third offense petit larceny (clothing taken from residence). According to police, there was also a warrant out for Staton’s arrest from Norfolk for probation violation.
Stay with NewsChannel3 and WTKR.com for updates as they become available.
