BEDFORD – On November 4, 2023, at 9:45 p.m., Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Central Dispatch received a report that 35-year-old Matthew Staggs of Bedford, came to a woman’s home in the 5000 block of US 50 and struck the male homeowner and then left.
The caller said the injured male, her boyfriend, was bleeding from his ear and she was having a hard time getting the bleeding to stop and requested an ambulance.
She told the dispatcher Staggs was her former boyfriend.
Deputies arrived at the home to find the family was celebrating a birthday in a detached garage. They found the bleeding male holding a cloth to his ear in an attempt to stop the bleeding. The female caller told police he was at the home to attend a birthday party. Staggs arrived and struck the male with his fist one time. He never said a word and ran to a parked car along the highway. The injured male fell into two windows, causing them both to break. The woman then noticed the male was bleeding and called police.
The injured male received six stitches to his ear.
The female caller told police she had been in a relationship with Staggs, but the relationship had ended. She told police that after the incident, she found text messages from Staggs on her phone. The messages were sent before the attack.
Police attempted to locate Staggs but could not find him.
On November 5, Staggs contacted a deputy and asked if he would be arrested. He admitted to getting into a “tussle” at a party. Staggs then stated he was out of town and could not meet with officers.
On November 6, police received a message from Martinsville Attorney John Boren, who said he was representing Staggs and had advised him not to meet with police.
On November 6, the injured male reported he had received two Facebook messages from Staggs: “Is there a way I can talk to you, please?” and ” I truly apologize from the bottom of my heart”.
The information was forwarded to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office, and a warrant was issued for Stagg’s arrest on charges of residential entry, battery resulting in bodily injury, and criminal mischief.
