Stone County Deputy Injured over Weekend
January 11, 2018
Isaac Estes-Jones
A Stone County Deputy is seeking treatment after being injured on a call over the weekend.
Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader confirmed to the Chronicle that Deputy Craig Shirkey sustained injuries while responding to a report of a domestic dispute late Sunday, January 7.
“He and another deputy were responding to a domestic,” Rader said. “Basically, as he and the other officer were taking the suspect down some wet stairs, the suspect started making some movements that sent all three of them down the stairs and onto the deck below.”
The suspect was identified as Blake Hammers, 21, of Galena. He was booked into the Stone County Jail at almost 11 p.m. on Sunday, January 7. According to a statement of probable cause, used in filing charges against him, Hammers began yelling obscenities at the deputies as they were escorting him off the property. He then allegedly attempted to pull away from the officers, causing all three to fall down the stairs. Deputy Shirkey made a sound of extreme pain after the fall, but reportedly continued to assist in detaining Hammers.
After the fall, Hammers allegedly continued to attempt to escape from custody and made threatening comments. He is quoted in the probable cause statement as saying, “If you don’t let me go, I will remember your name and I will see you again [expletive].” The altercation reportedly lasted about 16 minutes.
According to the statement of probable cause, the Stone County Sheriff’s Office had been called to the residence due to domestic assaults or psychiatric events more than half a dozen times since September 2017.
The extent of Deputy Shirkey’s injuries had not been fully determined as of Monday afternoon. “It’s a bad deal,” Rader said in an interview on Monday, adding, “I’m definitely feeling for him and his family today.”
Hammers faces two felonies stemming from the event. He is charged with the Class E felony of resisting arrest by fleeing, creating a substantial risk of injury and the Class B felony second degree assault on a special victim. He is being held in the Stone County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Isaac Estes-Jones
A Stone County Deputy is seeking treatment after being injured on a call over the weekend.
Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader confirmed to the Chronicle that Deputy Craig Shirkey sustained injuries while responding to a report of a domestic dispute late Sunday, January 7.
“He and another deputy were responding to a domestic,” Rader said. “Basically, as he and the other officer were taking the suspect down some wet stairs, the suspect started making some movements that sent all three of them down the stairs and onto the deck below.”
The suspect was identified as Blake Hammers, 21, of Galena. He was booked into the Stone County Jail at almost 11 p.m. on Sunday, January 7. According to a statement of probable cause, used in filing charges against him, Hammers began yelling obscenities at the deputies as they were escorting him off the property. He then allegedly attempted to pull away from the officers, causing all three to fall down the stairs. Deputy Shirkey made a sound of extreme pain after the fall, but reportedly continued to assist in detaining Hammers.
After the fall, Hammers allegedly continued to attempt to escape from custody and made threatening comments. He is quoted in the probable cause statement as saying, “If you don’t let me go, I will remember your name and I will see you again [expletive].” The altercation reportedly lasted about 16 minutes.
According to the statement of probable cause, the Stone County Sheriff’s Office had been called to the residence due to domestic assaults or psychiatric events more than half a dozen times since September 2017.
The extent of Deputy Shirkey’s injuries had not been fully determined as of Monday afternoon. “It’s a bad deal,” Rader said in an interview on Monday, adding, “I’m definitely feeling for him and his family today.”
Hammers faces two felonies stemming from the event. He is charged with the Class E felony of resisting arrest by fleeing, creating a substantial risk of injury and the Class B felony second degree assault on a special victim. He is being held in the Stone County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.