The Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office deputy found unconscious on the side of the road in Warrenton on Friday night after an alleged attack has been charged with making a false report.

Initially, Deputy Jake Preston Dooley of Marshall, Virginia, claimed he was struck in the head with an object by someone in a black SUV on Old Waterloo Road at the intersection with Wilson Road, west of Warrenton, Friday evening. Someone who passed by found Dooley lying face down and called 911.

Detectives investigated the incident and determined that Dooley made up the attack.

In a news release on the department’s Facebook page, Sheriff Robert P. Mosier said he would like to recognize the work by his police officers to get the original report out very quickly while still investigating Dooley’s allegations.

He also acknowledged the support the department received from residents and other local entities.

“Sometimes bad things happen to good organizations,” Mosier said.

“We truly regret that this happened but find a tremendous amount of comfort in the knowledge that our community understands and supports law enforcement in Fauquier County.”

James Hartman, a spokesman for the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, said Dooley was released from a local emergency room after the alleged incident Saturday morning.

He was charged with obstructing justice and falsely summoning law enforcement. Dooley was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond but transported to a regional facility for a mental health evaluation.

A map of where the alleged incident happened is below.

WTOP’s Thomas Robertson contributed to this report.