A man accused of assaulting an off-duty Johnston County deputy has been arrested after being released from the hospital.
Billy Chris Massengill, 37, of Go Cart Road, Four Oaks was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with felony assault causing physical injury on a law enforcement officer and felony secret peeping.
Last Saturday, an off duty deputy sheriff was inside Barefoot’s Country Store on US 701 South of Four Oaks. The deputy noticed the individual acting suspicious with his cell phone. The plain clothed officer identified himself as a deputy sheriff and asked the man to step outside. While in the parking lot, Massengill allegedly began assaulting the deputy. A concerned citizen saw the officer being assaulted and stepped in to help the deputy detain Massengill.
Both the deputy and Massengill were injured during the incident. Massengill was taken to Wake Medical Center for treatment. The deputy was not hospitalized.
On Thursday, Johnston County Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Don Pate said Massengill’s cell phone was seized after Saturday’s incident and a search warrant was conducted on the phone. Massengill had allegedly used his cell phone camera to take an inappropriate photo of the buttocks of a female juvenile inside the convenience store, Lt. Pate said.
Massengill was placed in the Johnston County jail under a $30,000 bond. Pate said more charges have not been ruled out.
