A deputy who said he was the victim of a roadside attack in Fauquier County, Virginia, made up the incident and is facing charges, authorities say.
Jake Preston Dooley, 22, said he was stopped at the intersection of Old Waterloo Road and Wilson Road near Warrenton after 7 p.m. Friday to remove a hazard in the roadway when he heard a vehicle approach and someone yelling.
He said he saw a black SUV and was struck in the head, the sheriff's office said in a release Saturday.
Dooley was taken to a hospital and was stable, authorities said.
Later Saturday, the sheriff's office said detectives found the incident was false. Dooley was fired and charged with falsely summonsing law enforcement and obstruction of justice.
He was released from jail on a $10,000 bond and will be transported to a regional facility for a mental health evaluation.
"Sometimes bad things happen to good organizations. We truly regret that this happened but find a tremendous amount of comfort in the knowledge that our community understands and supports law enforcement in Fauquier County,” Sheriff Robert Mosier said.
