LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – According to a criminal complaint, on Jan. 19, officers responded to the vicinity of the Super 8 motel in reference to a disturbance allegedly involving a male subject with a knife chasing the party making the complaint. Once on the scene, the officers were notified by dispatch that the incident was taking place in the rear of the parking lot. The officer proceeded to run to the incident site and saw two males and a female.
The male wearing a blue hoodie was later identified as the complainant. He had his hands in his pockets and the officer advised him to remove his hands and place them behind his back and face the wall. According to the criminal complaint, the officer noticed the other male subject, who was identified as Erik Christopher Lewis Strickland, 44, of Wisconsin, become resistant to the other officer’s verbal commands. A set of black brass knuckles had been reportedly discarded from Strickland’s person into the bed of his truck. T
The criminal complaint states that the officers then had to take Strickland down to the ground after he failed to follow further orders. The officer proceeded to secure Strickland’s legs and was moving on to his arms when the female subject allegedly stated he had something in the waistband of his jeans.
The complaint states that With Strickland’s left arm behind his back, the officer’s attention turned to his right, which was still underneath his person. An officer told Strickland to give them his hand or he would be tased. Strickland reportedly still didn’t comply with any commands and was tased releasing his right arm and finally placed in handcuffs.
During the entire incident, Strickland remained disorderly, causing several people from the motel to come out to see what was going on. according to the criminal complaint.
A supervisor and EMS were called to the scene and Strickland was transported to Greenbrier Valley Medical Center for observation. After the scene was secured, the officer spoke with the victim of the original incident who provided a verbal and written statement saying that the incident happened around the front parking lot and that Strickland fled to the rear parking lot before being boxed in by the victim.
At the hospital, Strickland again became combative and was placed in handcuffs and leg shackles before being transported to Southern Regional Jail by the officers, the criminal complaint states.
According to the criminal complaint, while en route, Strickland defecated in the floorboard and attempted to kick out the door and window. The officers advised dispatch of the situation and were told to meet a state trooper en route. They reportedly pulled off the Sam black exit so the trooper could apply a hobble restraint to his ankles. They then went back en route to Southern Regional Jail. During this time, the complaint states that Strickland kept shouting and banging his head off the partition that separates the backseat from the front. At Southern Regional Jail, Strickland was escorted inside by correctional officers.
The officers obtained a search warrant for Strickland‘s vehicle. The warrant was obtained through Greenbrier County Magistrate Court and the vehicle, which is a maroon Chevy Silverado, was towed to the Lewisburg Police Department. It was then secured and the search warrant was executed.
According to the criminal complaint, the officer discovered multiple. 223 rounds, as well as 22lr rounds, and a loaded 7.62×39 magazine along with a .23lr upper receiver and a .223 BCM upper receiver. Also found were white supremacy militia badges and insignia along with other gun parts that could build a partial rifle. Inside the car, drug paraphernalia was also found according to the criminal complaint.
Strickland’s bail has been set at $7,000.
