Suffolk officer's attacker enters plea

SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A man accused of attacking a Suffolk Police officer during a traffic stop in May has entered pleas on nearly every charge he was facing Wednesday.

Prosecutor George Bruch with the Suffolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office told WAVY.com Joseph Staton, 43, of Portsmouth pled guilty to the following charges stemming from an attack on Officer James Winslow in May:

• Aggravated malicious wounding
• Malicious assault of a law enforcement officer
• Forging an official document
• Uttering a forged document
• Attempt to disarm a law enforcement officer
• Grand larceny from a person
• Shoot, stab, cut or wound a person in the commission of a felony
• Grand larceny of a motor vehicle
• Statutory burglary
• Petit larceny, third offense

Staton did not enter a plea for the attempted capital murder charge he was facing. That has been continued and will be addressed on Dec. 10 during the scheduled sentencing date, Bruch said.

On May 19, Officer James Winslow responded to a call for a stolen vehicle and dash cam video captured a man identified as Staton fleeing the vehicle. Officials say Winslow chased Staton into a wooded area, where Staton then assaulted Winslow with a blunt object, leaving him unconscious and fighting for his life.

Winslow was flown by Nightingale to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and continues to recover from his injuries, but has not rejoined the department at this time.