He kept fighting with officers after Richland deputy was hurt. Then the K-9 came out

A Richland County deputy was injured while trying to arrest a suspect, who tried to take an officer’s Taser while struggling with them.

Deputy Josh Newsom received a large bruise and an abrasion to the back of his right hand Sunday while struggling with the suspect he was trying to detain just before 2 a.m. on the 7200 block of Nancy Avenue, according to Deputy Cynthia Roldan.

Forest Acres police had asked area officers to be on the lookout for a stolen vehicle they had been involved in a pursuit with but terminated near Nancy Avenue, Roldan said. Newsom was driving on Nancy Avenue and searching for the vehicle when a man waved him down. The man, later identified as 28-year-old Christopher Griffin, was visibly sweating when Newsom approached him.

Newsom asked Griffin if he was the driver of the vehicle involved in the pursuit, Roldan said. Griffin said “yes” and took off running toward the house, and Newsom ran after him.

While Newsom tried to arrest Griffin, a struggle ensued and a second deputy arrived to help, Roldan said. Both deputies deployed their Tasers on Griffin, but they had no effect.

Griffin tried to take one of the officers’ Taser, and continued to struggle even after other deputies arrived, Roldan said. He stopped fighting “when he heard a K-9 deputy had been retrieved.”

Roldan said Griffin later admitted to being involved in the pursuit. He was placed in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on assault charges.

This story was originally published July 15, 2018 at 12:23 PM.