Two Dane County Deputies and K9 Injured

June 30, 2020
Elise Schaffer, PIO, (608) 284-6142
Sheriff's Office

Two Dane County Sheriff’s deputies and a K9 were injured during an altercation with a California man in the Town of Oregon.

A deputy responded to a suspicious vehicle call at 1:45 am on Monday, June 29th.  The caller had previously reported concerning communication from an ex-boyfriend. When she saw someone outside her home in the middle of the night, she called 911. The first responding deputy found Keith T. Staley, age 40 of Pasadena, CA outside the home. Staley refused to remove his hands from his pockets and was not responding to the deputy’s commands.  Staley approached the deputy and verbally threatened his life.  He refused to follow deputy’s commands and became physically aggressive. A K9 was deployed and Staley kicked and struck the dog.  A second deputy arrived on scene and while trying to restrain the suspect, Staley grabbed the deputy’s firearm and attempted to remove it from the holster.  He also knocked a baton out of the other deputy’s hand. Ultimately, Staley was taken into custody and is currently being held in the Dane County Jail.

Both deputies were treated and released at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.  The K9 was also treated at a local veterinarian. Without the intervention by the K9, this incident could have had a tragic ending.

Staley was booked into the Dane County Jail on initial charges of Causing Injury by Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and Disarming a Police Officer and Battery to a Police Officer. This case remains an open investigation, and an additional charge of Stalking is pending.