Hopkins slashes officer with knife

A policeman was cut by a knife-wielding suspect Wednesday who slashed the officer and himself as lawmen tried to take him into custody.

The suspect, James Franklin Hopkins, 44, is charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, and domestic assault. The injured officer, McMinnville Sgt. Mark Mara, suffered a slash wound to his hand and remains on active duty.

The charges come after police arrived at the Hopkins home to investigate a domestic situation. It was during the investigation police were told by the defendant’s daughter, Amy Hopkins, that her father had slapped, choked and thrown her to the ground. Mr. Hopkins, with his mother backing up his story, maintained his daughter started it by slapping him and ripping his shirt.

However, police decided to take Mr. Hopkins into custody, prompting him to declare he was not going to jail. He then resisted officers who were trying to handcuff him. It was at that point he allegedly pulled a knife and challenged police to shoot him.

‘Mr. Hopkins told officers several times that he had a knife and just to shoot him,’ the warrants against Hopkins indicate. ‘He stated he wasn’t going to jail.’

However, instead of opening fire, officers decided to take the knife-wielding man down, knocking him off his feet as he slashed himself and Sgt. Mara. The warrants maintain Hopkins’ slash of Mara appeared to be ‘on purpose’ and not an accident as result of the takedown.

Both officer and suspect were treated at River Park Hospital for their injuries.