Hoxie Police Department authorities and the prosecuting attorney for Lawrence County have requested the Arkansas State Police (ASP) conduct a criminal investigation of an incident that resulted in injuries to three local law enforcement officers on Monday.
According to a statement from the ASP, shortly before 9 a.m., a Hoxie police officer encountered a man walking along the overpass at the Arkansas Highway 367 and U.S. Highway 63 intersection. The man, identified as Matthew Dale Hatley, 26, of Black Rock (Lawrence County), was carrying what was described as an iron pipe.
Hoxie police officers say Hatley was able to enter the officer’s patrol car when he then began hitting the officer with the pipe, according to the statement. During the incident, Hatley was able to get control of the police officer’s handgun and fired the weapon, the statement said. The officer was not hit by the gunfire.
Local and state law enforcement backup assistance quickly arrived, and officers were able to disarm Hatley despite his continued resistance, the statement said.
Two officers were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries while a third was treated and released with minor injuries.
Hatley has been incarcerated at the Lawrence County Detention Center and presently faces multiple charges, including three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Criminal Investigation Division is assisting state police special agents in the continuing investigation, the ASP said.
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