Virginia police refuse to investigate after officer filmed repeatedly punching ‘drunk skateboarder’, causing him brain hemorrhage

By Kamal Sultan for Dailymail.Com

7:00 p.m. June 27, 2024, updated at 7:00 p.m. June 27, 2024

The Virginia Sheriff’s Department has refused to investigate an incident involving an officer who repeatedly punched a man and left him with a brain hemorrhage.

Joshua Barricks was arrested at the Covington Farm and Fuel store on March 30, 2022 for riding a skateboard while intoxicated.

But his 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.

Surveillance footage shows Barricks getting to his knees and putting his hands above his head in surrender before being violently attacked.

The Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office has declined to investigate, meaning criminal charges cannot be filed. So Barricks is suing Wright for $5 million.

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

The officer is seen punching the suspect 12 times as he lies on the ground with blood streaming from his face.

He is then picked up and taken out of the store with his white t-shirt soaked in blood.

At the time of his arrest, Barricks was running from Wright after being arrested for skateboarding in the road.

A criminal case can only be initiated if the police department investigates before the Commonwealth Attorney files charges.

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

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

In his response to the lawsuit, Wright claimed he was acting within law enforcement policy and that Barricks’ allegations “are dismissed under qualified immunity.”

“Well, if that’s true, we need to change police policy because their behavior was outrageous,” attorney Austin said. “But we don’t think that’s consistent 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.

Barricks’ attorney said, “In our opinion, this officer should not be involved in law enforcement.” »

His client is currently serving a prison sentence for drug trafficking, but wants to account for the injuries he suffered.

“When he is released, he will return to this community,” Austin said. “He wants a safe community for citizens, and that necessarily means you have to be accountable to the police.”

His case is expected to go to trial in October.

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