Oceanside CA— Early this morning, March 21, 2015 at 6:42 a.m. Oceanside Police Officer Shannon Payfer contacted a person, who was sleeping on the beach near Surfrider and The Strand. Officer Payfer woke the person and asked him for identification. He refused to provide any. She asked him for identification again and he refused.
The man, later identified as Alan Wayne Croghan, DOB May 24, 1956, of Beaverton, Oregon, began to stand up and the Officer, Payfer told him to stay seated. He again started to stand and she again told him to remain seated.
The commands and refusals continued until Croghan suddenly lunged at her and knocked her to the ground. Officer Payfer struck her head on a large rock and Croghan jumped on top of her. A nearby witness saw Croghan knock her down and heard him yelling he was going to kill her. The struggle continued until other officers arrived.
Croghan refused to comply with their commands to stop fighting and continued to assault Officer Payfer. The next officer on scene struck him with her baton. Croghan stopped fighting, but continued to resist and would not comply with their commands. Croghan was eventually taken into custody.
Officer Payfer was taken to Tri City Medical Center. She received treatment and was released. Officer Payfer is a nine year veteran of the Oceanside Police Department and is assigned to the Resource Team.
Croghan was arrested for the following charges:
- Attempted murder of a police officer
- Felony assault on a police officer
- Assault with injury on a police officer.