Deputy knocks out armed man who charged at him

SALEM, Ore. – A man who was walking in the street and screaming profanities ended up wrestling with a sheriff’s deputy, according to a spokesman for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Don Thompson with the sheriff’s office said around 9 p.m. Monday Deputy Matt Hagan found the man standing in the roadway on Lancaster Drive NE in Salem.

The man, who police identified as Robert Van Hoose, was agitated and did not listen to Hagan’s commands to leave the street.

Van Hoose, who is over 6 feet tall and weighs more than 220 pounds, then confronted Hagan and challenged him to fight, according to Thompson.

Hagan fired a Taser at Van Hoose to no avail.

Thompson said Van Hoose next pulled a knife from his waistband and approached the deputy. He backed off for a minute when Hagan drew his gun, but then dropped the knife and tackled the deputy, Thompson said.

The deputy and suspect wrestled for several minutes before Hagan was able to knock Van Hoose unconscious.

Several more deputies arrived and were able to get Van Hoose into cuffs. They found a second dagger on Van Hoose, Thompson said.

Deputy Jerry Wollenschlaeger, one of the back-up deputies, then took Van Hoose to the hospital. While being examined by a doctor, Thompson said Van Hoose punched Wollenschlaeger in the head and had to be subdued.

Van Hoose was eventually taken to jail. He faces charges for disorderly conduct, menacing, resisting arrest, assault, assault on a police officer, carrying a concealed weapon and unlawful use of a weapon.

Both deputies received only minor injuries and did not need medical treatment.