Sex offender pleads innocent to stabbing cop

SALEM – A Level 3 sex offender, facing a potential 25-year state prison term for allegedly stabbing a Danvers patrolman this past summer and failing to register as a sex offender, remains held without bail following his arraignment in Salem Superior Court.Roy Limbaugh, 58, of 37 Popes Lane, Danvers, appeared Friday morning, answering innocent to charges of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, failure to register as a sex offender, subsequent offense, as well as assault and battery on a public employee, resisting arrest, operating a motor vehicle after suspension of his license, subsequent offense, and operating a motor vehicle after suspension of his license before Judge Howard J. Whitehead.Assistant District Attorney Gerald P. Shea explained to the judge that Limbaugh’s initial cash bail from Salem District Court was set at $1 million but that he and defense attorney Christopher Norris had an agreement that Limbaugh be held without bail with the condition that the defense may seek a bail review at another court hearing.Whitehead agreed to adopt the bail recommendation as proposed and continued the case to Nov. 30 for a pretrial conference.The charges against Limbaugh arise out of an incident in Danvers on Aug. 19 when Danvers Police Officer John Melto, a nine-year veteran of the force, was stabbed as he tried to arrest Limbaugh outside his Popes Lane mobile home on a motor vehicle warrant for reportedly lying to police where he was working.Melto, 47, suffered four cuts to his neck and a cut on his hand, according to reports.Limbaugh somehow was able to escape the scene and was arrested 90 minutes later after the assault by Stoughton police on Route 24.Melto underwent surgery for his injuries that day at Salem Hospital and was released two days later.Prior to the incident, police had been looking for Limbaugh for more than two weeks as they tried to serve him on the warrant.Armed assault with intent to murder carries up to 20 years in state prison and the failing to register, subsequent offense, has a five-year minimum mandatory punishment.