HENRY COUNTY, VA — A Henry County Sheriff’s Office K-9 was stabbed while deputies helped Virginia State Police make an arrest tied to a hit-and-run crash Monday. Sheriff Wayne Davis said the suspect was later identified as 43-year-old Taran Irene Maddy of Rocky Mount.
According to the sheriff’s office, the search began after a witness called 911 and gave law enforcement information that helped direct officers to a wooded area. Deputies and state troopers then encountered a woman they believed had been involved in the crash.
Officials said the encounter escalated quickly when the woman produced an edged weapon and threatened officers with violence.
Witness tip led officers to a wooded area after the crash
Authorities said Maddy fled on foot after the hit-and-run. The witness call gave officers a lead that helped them narrow the search and locate the suspect in a wooded area.
When Virginia State Police and Henry County deputies responded, they said they found the woman they believed was connected to the crash. That contact set off the confrontation that ended with the K-9 deployment.
The sheriff’s office has not released additional details about the crash itself. Virginia State Police is investigating the hit-and-run, and officials said no further information about the collision has been shared so far.
Sheriff says suspect threatened officers with a box cutter or razor-style knife
Sheriff Davis said the suspect refused commands and continued to escalate the encounter. He said the woman was holding what appeared to be a box cutter or razor-style knife and threatened law enforcement officers.
Before releasing the K-9, deputies used less-lethal impact munitions, according to Davis. He said that effort did not bring the situation under control.
Davis said officers from both agencies tried to de-escalate the situation and gain compliance before moving to the next step. The sheriff’s office said the response was aimed at taking Maddy into custody while reducing risk to deputies and troopers.
K-9 Zajo suffered puncture wounds near the head and eye
When less-lethal munitions did not work, Henry County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Zajo was deployed to help arrest Maddy, officials said. During the struggle, the sheriff’s office said Maddy stabbed the dog multiple times.
Authorities said Zajo suffered a puncture wound near his head and eye area, along with facial lacerations. The sheriff’s office said the injuries were not believed to be life-threatening at the time.
Zajo was taken to a veterinarian for treatment. Officials did not release more information about his recovery, but they said he was receiving care after the incident.
Maddy was taken to a trauma center after the encounter
Maddy was arrested after the confrontation and taken to a trauma center for treatment of injuries she sustained from the less-lethal impact munitions and K-9 bites. Officials did not provide a detailed update on her condition.
She faces charges of assault on law enforcement, injuring a police animal, and obstruction of justice. The sheriff’s office listed the charges under Virginia law.
Authorities have not said whether additional charges are possible. The investigation into the crash and the arrest remains active through Virginia State Police.
County officials say the response was meant to de-escalate the arrest
Davis said deputies and state police made every effort to gain compliance before sending in the K-9. His statement emphasized that officers tried to de-escalate the situation before resorting to the dog.
The incident drew attention because it involved both a hit-and-run response and injuries to a police dog. For now, officials are focusing on the arrest, the animal injury charge, and the separate crash investigation.
Virginia State Police has not released more details about the hit-and-run, and the sheriff’s office said there is no additional information available at this time. Updates are expected as investigators continue to sort out what happened before the wooded-area confrontation.
