A Columbus man is facing an attempted murder charge following an incident last month where he allegedly attacked a Decatur County Sheriff’s Department inmate transport officer. “The Greensburg Daily News” is reporting that 26-year-old Joshua B. Stam attacked the officer as they arrived at the Miami County Correctional Facility on Aug. 30th.

According to the report, Stam had made a pre-trial court appearance on a local burglary charge Aug. 28 and was set to be returned to prison ahead of another local appearance scheduled for Oct. 17 in Superior Court. But as the transport vehicle arrived at the prison, Stam, having freed one hand from his handcuffs, climbed across the police car’s center console, punched the officer in the face and strangled him to the point of unconsciousness with a piece of cloth, police say. The report says that Stam also tried to take the officer’s gun, but was unsuccessful. The officer said he awoke to find Stam attempting to put the transport car into gear to potentially drive away, but two other officers arrived and detained the suspect.

The newspaper is reporting that Stam now faces felony charges of Attempted Murder, Aggravated Battery, Attempt to Commit Escape, and Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury to a Public Safety Officer. The report says that prosecutors are also seeking to classify Stam as an habitual offender, which could add even more time to a possible prison sentence.

The paper is reporting that Stam is currently serving a sentence on charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Burglary, Theft, Receiving Stolen Property and Attempted Theft and/or Attempt at Receiving Stolen Property. That sentence was handed down in Bartholomew County in April.

For more on this story, visit greensburgdailynews.com.