Man Has Been Charged With Attempted Murder in Pulaski County After Reportedly Setting Fire to an Officer

PULASKI COUNTY, VA – According to the Pulaski County Sheriff, a man has been charged with attempted murder after reportedly lighting fire to an officer with gasoline during a domestic violence incident on October 9.

According to the sheriff, deputies arrived at a home in the 500 block of Church Street to assist the Dublin Police Department with domestic violence reports. On the scene, a witness reported that a man inside the house attempted to assault a woman with a baseball bat.

Officers entered the house and found the man at the top of the basement steps, holding a can of gasoline.

According to the sheriff, the man then allegedly spilled gas on the floor and a Dublin Police Officer, before setting it on fire.

The gasoline instantly ignited the vicinity of the house and the police officer. A Dublin cop and a Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy immediately extinguished the burning officer.

Moments after getting burned, the officer returned to duty and helped the woman safely exit the home.

The suspect, Dakota Lewis Sirt of Dublin, is 30 years old. He was arrested and charged with the following:

Attempted aggravated murder of a police officer

Two charges of attempted aggravated malicious wounding.

Two counts of assault against an occupied dwelling

Sirt is now being imprisoned in the New River Valley Regional Jail.

The Dublin Police Officer who was injured was transported to the hospital for treatment of severe burns. Three deputies from Pulaski County were also reviewed. All cops have already been discharged.

“We want to thank Pulaski County Public Safety, Dublin Fire Department, Newbern Fire Department, and Virginia State Police for their help.

The inquiry is ongoing, but no other information is available at this time.