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Virginia police refuse to investigate after officer caught on camera repeatedly hitting ‘drunk skateboarder’, causing him to suffer brain hemorrhage

Virginia police refuse to investigate after officer caught on camera repeatedly hitting ‘drunk skateboarder’, causing him to suffer brain hemorrhage

By Kamal Sultan for Dailymail.Com

7:00 PM June 27, 2024, updated 7:00 PM June 27, 2024

A Virginia sheriff’s department has declined to investigate an incident involving an officer who repeatedly struck a man and left him with a brain hemorrhage.

Joshua Barricks was arrested on March 30, 2022, at the Covington Farm and Fuel store on allegations of skateboarding while intoxicated.

But his arrest left him hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage and multiple facial and jaw fractures after he was allegedly punched 12 times by former Alleghany County Sheriff’s Deputy James Wright.

Surveillance footage shows Barricks kneeling and raising his hands above his head to surrender before being violently attacked.

The Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office has declined to investigate, meaning no criminal charges can be filed – so Barricks is suing Wright for $5 million.

A Virginia sheriff’s department has declined to investigate an incident involving an officer who repeatedly struck a man and caused him to suffer a brain hemorrhage.
Joshua Barricks’ arrest led to him being hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage and multiple facial and jaw fractures after he was allegedly punched 12 times by former Alleghany County Sheriff’s Deputy James Wright

Video of the incident shows Barricks on the ground with former deputy Wright kneeling on his back.

The officer is seen punching the suspect twelve times as he lies on the ground with blood pouring from his face.

He is then arrested and marched out of the store with his white T-shirt soaked in blood.

At the time of the arrest, Barricks was fleeing from Wright after being stopped for skateboarding in the road.

A criminal case can only be filed if the police investigate before the Commonwealth’s Attorney files charges.

Barricks’ attorney Scott Austin said no investigation has been launched and a civil lawsuit is one of the remaining options.

“It would have been much better if the Commonwealth’s Attorney and local police had been involved from the beginning and investigated this, then we wouldn’t be in this situation,” he told WDBJ.

Wright’s response to the lawsuit alleged that he acted within law enforcement policy and that Barricks’ claims are “barred under qualified immunity.”

Surveillance footage shows Barricks kneeling and raising his hands above his head to surrender before being violently attacked
The officer is seen punching the suspect twelve times as he lies on the ground with blood pouring from his face
The Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office has declined to investigate, meaning no criminal charges can be filed, so Barricks is suing Wright for $5 million

“If that’s true, we need to change police policy because his behavior was outrageous,” attorney Austin said. “But we believe this was not in accordance with police policy.”

The Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office said it reviewed the video, but no official investigation took place.

Wright joined the Virginia State Police as a trooper seven months after the incident.

Barrick’s attorney said, “In our view, this officer should not be involved in law enforcement.”

His client is currently serving a prison sentence for drug abuse, but wants accountability for the injuries he suffered.

“If he is released, he will return to that community,” Austin said. “He wants a safe community for citizens, and that necessarily means accountability for the police.”

His case is expected to go to trial in October.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office for comment.