Eugene, Ore. – At 2:28 a.m. on April 11, Central Lane 911 received a call regarding a man who was assaulting two of his family members in their Maxwell Road area home.
The line to 911 had a heated dispute in the background and a woman was screaming. Dispatch received additional information the man, JOSHUA NICHOLAS MASKAL, age 30, had thrown a landscaping rock into a vehicle and thrown a second rock through into a window outside the residence. He was reported to be armed with a kitchen knife and stating he would fight responding officers.
Officers went in emergency mode to the home, and due to the details, one of them stopped several blocks east of the location to stage sponge-round 40mm less than lethal equipment in the front of his patrol vehicle. Maskal was holding a knife when officers encountered him, and he ran from them. The officers followed from a safe distance and when Maskal didn’t drop the knife, a sponge round was deployed, which caused Maskal to
drop the knife and fall to the ground. He ended up being in a seated position as officers approached and the knife was near his feet. Officers were apprehensive he could stand and continuing running or grab the knife and fight so one used a taser and commands to get Maskal on the ground. Once officers secured the knife, Maskal struggled with them briefly but was ultimately taken into custody safely. The victims had non-life-threatening injuries. No officers were injured during this incident.
Maskal was transported to Lane County Jail on a charge of Assault in the Fourth Degree APA Felony (abuse prevention act), Assault in the Fourth Degree APA Misdemeanor and Criminal Mischief in the First Degree.
Case 23-05215
(Information from EPD)
