A deputy breaking up a fight in the St. Albans area took a few punches himself in arresting one of the alleged street fighters.

Kanawha Cpl. J.J. Haynes was dispatched at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday to break up a fight in the 1400-block of Rosedale Drive in the St. Albans area. Witnesses told Kanawha Metro 911 dispatchers that there were several intoxicated people fighting and threatening people outside of a home in the area.

One of the men, later identified as Casey Jeffrey, 20, of St. Albans, ran around the house on foot, closely pursued by Haynes, according to a news release issued by the Kanawha Sheriff's Office. Jeffrey jumped into a vehicle, but looked extremely intoxicated and refused to get out of the vehicle. He tried to leave in the vehicle, but the deputy managed to remove him from the vehicle.

Jeffrey punched Haynes several times while the deputy tried to remove him from the vehicle. Haynes was eventually able to handcuff Jeffrey and take him to the police cruiser. The deputy was not injured in the assault.

Jeffrey was charged with battery on a police officer, obstructing an officer, underage consumption of alcohol and refusal of fingerprints. He is being held at South Central Regional Jail.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service