03/01/2011 Tuesday night just after 9pm we got a call from Wheeler concerning a suspicious Black man dressed in a hoodie (hooded coat) coming out of a vacant house by the Methodist Church and he was carrying a big stick. The two Deputies on duty were working a wreck east of Marietta near the Natchez Trace. Reed Sparks, a Reserve Deputy heard the call on the scanner and responded from his home to the call. In the meantime we received a second call from another caller that the individual was banging on their door. When Sparks arrived the individual had already left that residence and was walking down the street. Deputy Sparks proceeded down the street shining his spotlight and located the individual. Once the Officer got the individuals attention, the individual approached the Officer who was still seated in his patrol vehicle. The Officer instructed the person to step back away from his vehicle. The individual took a couple steps back and started forcefully (with both hands) thrusting the stick, which was sharpened on one end through the patrol vehicles open window striking Deputy Sparks several times . in the side of the face, casing a puncture wound and abrasions. Deputy Sparks managed to get to a canister of pepper spray he had in his coat pocket and spray the individual, giving him enough time to force the door open, pushing the person away from the vehicle. Once Officer Sparks was outside the vehicle the subject produced a knife. At some point the individual ran around to the passengers side of the patrol vehicle and got in the passengers side attempting to put the shifter in drive. Sparks returned to the driver side with weapon in hand and attempted to cut off the ignition and remove the keys. The individual then began trying to stab Deputy Sparks. During the struggle Deputy Sparks firearm discharged. At that point the person fell back out of the vehicle. Deputy Sparks was able to call for back up at one point. When Sparks got around to the passengers side of the vehicle the individual began striking Deputy Sparks with the stick while holding the knife in his other hand The Deputy was able to subdue the individual about the same time several backup Officers had arrived from their respective homes. The individual was uninjured, Sparks was treated at Baptist Memorial Hospital for his injuries. The man was a young man from Guntown with no past criminal record in his 20's. He was charged with Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and his Bond was set at $150,000. He remains in custody. This was a serious attack on this Officer that could have easily resulted in the Officers death or more serious injury. Deputy Sparks used great restraint It was a surprise attack with the Officer having no forewarning, while he was simply checking out a suspicious person. It goes to show how dangerous it is for Law Enforcement Officers everywhere, even in rural Prentiss County Mississippi. It was in March 1999 when Deputy Micheal Hisaw lost his life under very similar circumstances.

Sheriff Tolar