Inmate injured after report of attempted assault against officer

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 10 p.m. -- A Nelson County Jail inmate was injured Wednesday evening after an attempted assault of a police officer in the jail. Nelson County Dispatch received a 911 call from the jail at about 9 p.m.

At about 9 p.m., a dispatcher requested any available officer to respond to the Nelson County Jail for a reported assault by an inmate against an officer. A Nelson County EMS squad was dispatched to the jail.

At approximately 9:03, the dispatcher announced responding units could "signal 8," a police code that means "disregard," or "everything is OK, no need to continue the response." The EMS squad told dispatch they were available for a call.

Seven minutes later, Nelson County Dispatch asked an EMS squad to respond to the Nelson County Jail. The response was for a victim with a head injury due to a fall at the jail.

It is not known if the injured inmate was the one who assaulted the officer.

EMS arrived at the jail, and left enroute to Flaget about 9:27 p.m. The EMT indicated they were traveling "Code 1" -- which means a routine non-emergency response without the use of lights or sirens. Two deputies with the Nelson County Sheriff's Office followed the ambulance to the hospital.

EMS described the victim as a man in his mid-30s and suffering from a laceration to the back fo the head. EMTs were unable to get any vital signs due to the patient being combative. The deputies reported to the dispatcher they were both out at the hospital with EMS.