The Berkeley County Sheriff's Department is investigating what may have been an attempted break-in at an ambulance station near Marlowe that left a veteran emergency medical technician injured after he was struck in the head with a piece of concrete.

EMT Joshua Bartley was treated at the scene of the attack, which occurred Wednesday morning at the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority's Station 96, and then he was taken to City Hospital in Martinsburg. He has since been released from the hospital, but is currently on leave while he recovers from trauma to his eye and face. The cornea in one of Bartley's eyes was injured as a result of the attack, and he is suffering from blurred vision.

"Someone was pounding on the window, and when (Bartley) went out he was hit with the piece of concrete on the right temple area," Station Chief Donald Scheuch said Thursday.

Scheuch said he wasn't sure why someone would attack an EMT, but he suspected it may have been an attempted robbery or someone attempting to steal medical-related narcotics housed at the station.

Bartley himself had similar suspicions, but couldn't say for sure what the suspect's motive was.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure whether it was a robbery attempt or if it was just someone just being stupid," Bartley said on Thursday. "I guess it's one of those things that you hear about but you just don't expect, especially in Berkeley County."

Bartley has been a member of EMS for the past 13 years and has worked for the BCEAA for the last five. He previously was an ambulance chief with the South Berkeley Volunteer Fire Department.

"I've seen some awkward things, but nothing ever like this where they would actually come after an unarmed EMS official," Bartley said. "More than anything I was surprised."

The incident happened at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at the BCEAA's Station No. 96, which is located on Williamsport Pike about one mile south of Interstate 81's Marlowe exit. The station is manned by two EMS personnel, as well as an EMT and a paramedic who work 24-hour shifts.

After running several calls that day, staff said they heard a loud bang that sounded like gunshots come from what appeared to be the front of the station followed by another bang a few minutes later. The crew on station called Berkeley County Central Dispatch at about 9:30 p.m. to report possible shots, fired and West Virginia State Police officers were dispatched to the call. Troopers searched the area but were unable to find anything.

Later that evening, Bartley stayed awake while a fellow EMT attempted to get some sleep. Sometime between midnight and 12:30 a.m., Bartley was sitting on a chair resting beside a window when he heard a loud banging noise. When Bartley tried to find out what was going on, he was struck in the head with a block-like object.

"Somebody was beating on the windows, and when I stuck my head out, I got a brick upside my face," Bartley said.

The suspect who struck Bartley was described as a person wearing a thick winter jacket who appeared to be about 5 feet 11 inches tall. No one else appeared to be with the suspect.

Bartley was treated at the station for the wounds to his head, which appeared to be mainly facial trauma, before being transported to the hospital. Berkeley County Sheriff's Department officers, including Deputy Chris Cochran, later arrived at the scene to begin the investigation.

Bartley spent about eight to nine hours at the hospital, where he underwent tests for his injuries.

"As of right now I have what I call snow vision. I have nothing but blurred vision in the right side of my eye," Bartley said. "I'm doing better. I'm just nauseous. I'm not used to having vision in only one eye."

He is expected to recover in time.

No arrests were reported in the case as of Thursday afternoon.