Man who allegedly assaulted the Bradley County sheriff and a Cleveland police officer identified

Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson
Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson
photo Gregory Mathis

A Cleveland man is expected to be in Bradley County General Sessions Court tomorrow on charges of assaulting Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson and Cleveland Police Officer Chris Allen.

Gregory Mathis, 23, was arrested after the alleged assault on Thursday, and prosecutors are expected to ask that his $20,000 bond on a previous arrest be revoked.

Allen's nose was broken and Watson was scratched and received a black eye when they intervened in a domestic argument in Cleveland. Watson also had multiple bite marks and contusions as a result of the assault.

Bradley Chief Deputy Brian Smith said Watson was on his way home and spotted a couple fighting off 25th Street near the Sonic Drive-In.

Watson stopped and moved in to break up the fight.

"He tried to intervene and the guy turned on him," Smith said.

Mathis allegedly struck Watson multiple times, bit him and tried to choke him with the sheriff's own necktie.

Watson called for backup and officers converged from all directions. Allen was injured in the scuffle, but after being checked at Tennova Healthcare, was released shortly after being treated.

"Today's incident is just an example of what any officer can encounter on a daily basis," Watson said after the assault. "My intervening actions to disrupt that assault is what every man or woman that wears the badge is willing to do when faced with that situation.

"I want to personally thank my deputies that responded to the scene, along with Cleveland Police Department and Charleston Police Department."

Prior to Thursday's incident, Mathis was charged with aggravated assault on Monday and domestic assault for an incident on Jan. 29 of this year.

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7:40 p.m.

The Cleveland police officer who was injured along with the Bradley County Sheriff while breaking up a domestic disturbance has been treated and released.

Officer Chris Allen had his nose broken when he went to the aid of Sheriff Eric Watson this afternoon, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Evie West said.

Watson's chief deputy, Brian Smith, said the sheriff is "beat up, looks like he's going to have a black eye and has got scratches all over him."

The male suspect who did the damage is in custody and being booked into the Bradley County Jail, a jail sergeant said.

The man is expected to appear in Bradley General Sessions Court in the morning for a bond revocation hearing.

Bradley sheriff's office Communications Director James Bradford said he will issue a full news release shortly.

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5:45 p.m.

Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson and a Cleveland police officer are being checked out in the emergency room at Tennova Hospital after a domestic violence suspect attacked them.

Bradley Chief Deputy Brian Smith said Watson was on his way home and spotted a couple fighting off 25th Street near the Sonic Drive-In.

Watson stopped and moved in to break up the fight.

"He tried to intervene and the guy turned on him," Smith said.

Watson called for backup and officers converged from all directions. The city officer, whose name wasn't immediately available, received a head injury in the scuffle, Smith said.

The chief deputy said was outside the emergency room this evening waiting to get in to see the sheriff.

He said the attacker is in custody, but he didn't know the man's name or the charges yet.

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