As a Roanoke crime prevention officer, Bryan Lawrence is always looking out for others.

He advises home and business owners about how to protect their property, tracks autistic children and Alzheimer's patients who have wandered away and may be in danger, and more.

It was that same desire to help that drew him away from his off-duty job providing security Saturday night when he heard on his radio that a woman had been hurt not far from where he was, said his son, Robert Lawrence.

Police said Monday that it was Lawrence who was assaulted and left unconscious after chasing two suspects, one of whom was later charged with hurting the woman at the Go Mart in the 3500 block of Williamson Road Northwest.

Lawrence is recovering at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

He suffered a neck injury, and was to have surgery Monday, Robert Lawrence said.

"He's doing fine," Robert Lawrence said. "He's very responsive now, compared to when he came in."

The incident began about 11:20 p.m., when officers were called to a disorder at the Go Mart, said police spokeswoman Aisha Johnson.

When officers arrived, they found Mary Gilkes, 50, of Roanoke, who had been hurt, Johnson said. Gilkes gave police a description of two men who had fled.

William Steele Jr. has been charged with malicious wounding of an officer and felony obstruction.

Dantonio Foster was charged with malicious wounding related to the disturbance at the Go Mart, as well as felony obstruction.

Lawrence saw the suspects at 11:34 p.m. in a vehicle at Huntington Boulevard and Hillcrest Avenue Northwest, Johnson said.

When he stopped the vehicle, the men ran. Lawrence ran after them and was in the process of apprehending one suspect when he was assaulted by the other suspect, Johnson said.

Other officers who were called to help Lawrence found him unconscious at 11:37 p.m. in the 3400 block of Hillcrest.

Police would not say if Lawrence was wearing a police uniform or armed.

William Steele Jr., 18, of Roanoke was caught by a police dog in the 900 block of Greenhurst Avenue. He was charged with malicious wounding of an officer and felony obstruction.

Dantonio Foster, 25, of Roanoke was arrested later at Lyndhurst Street and Queen Avenue. He was charged with malicious wounding related to the incident at the Go Mart, as well as felony obstruction.

He also is charged with malicious wounding related to an incident that happened Friday, according to court records.

Officers were called at 11:10 p.m. to the 2900 block of Centre Avenue Northwest, where a 25-year-old woman had been stabbed, Johnson said.

Court records also show that Foster was convicted of misdemeanor assault charges in 2007 and 2006, and was convicted in 2005 of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Lawrence is known throughout the community for his work with Project Lifesaver, which provides police with a way to find people with Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome, autism or mental illness who become lost or wander away.

Participants wear radio transmitters that police can track by computer.

Lawrence is one of four national instructors for the Chesapeake-based Project Lifesaver International, said Tommy Carter, chief of training for the organization.

"Bryan cares about people, especially those who really can't help themselves," Carter said.

Staff writer Mike Allen and news researcher Belinda Harris contributed to this report.