Distraught Inmate Charged with Assaulting Correction Officers

A 31-year-old man arrested by San Angelo Police yesterday caused a bit of problems for Tom Green County Jailers today.

Yesterday afternoon, around 5:30 p.m., SAPD responded to a residence in the 600 block of E. 20^th St. for an unknown problem.

Officer Trace Gonzalez, public information officer for SAPD, said, “While en route to the call, officers received information about an earlier family violence call at the same residence that resulted in the arrest of [Chavez] for Assault by Contact Family Violence after he assaulted a family member.”

Chavez has also been previously issued a Criminal Trespass Warning from the property.

Once the officers arrived on scene, they learned that Chavez had returned to the home after being released from jail and had begun to damage the residence.

Gonzalez said, “Chavez’s 58-year-old mother and her three grandchildren retreated to a bedroom where they locked the door and waited for police to arrive.”

As the officers waited for backup units, Officer B. James assisted Chavez’s mother and her three grandchildren, ages 12, 13, and 9 months, out of the bedroom window to safety.

Gonzalez added, “A short time later, Chavez exited the front of the residence where he was promptly taken into custody without incident.”

Chavez was arrested for Criminal Trespass of a Habitation and transported to the Tom Green County Jail.

Police requested the help of the Tom Green County Crisis Intervention Unit to assist the victims.

After being taken to the Tom Green County Jail, Chavez continued to cause issues, but this time it was with the jailers.

Lt. Christina Lopez, Public Information Officer for the Tom Green County Sheriffs Department, explained today that "as Chavez was in his holding cell, he began to become disruptive."

Lopez added that Chavez was banging on the door and that's "when the jailers went to check on him, but he continued being disruptive." 

The jailers tried to put Chavez in restraints.

"That is when he began to fight the staff," said Lopez.

During the struggle, Chavez assaulted two jailers. They received non-life-threatening injuries. One jailer received medical treatment and was taken to an undisclosed local hospital.

Paramedics were called to the jail to evaluate Chavez's condition. As of now, it is unknown whether Chavez suffered any injuries. 

Right now the incident is still under investigation and additional charges are pending for Chavez.

Update Aug. 12 @ 2:36 p.m.

Sheriff David Jones provided on update today on the incident that occurred yesterday at the TGCJ. Jones re-confirmed that two Tom Green County Correctional Officers were injured and another officer was spat on in an attempt to subdue Chavez. 

At approximately 12:50 p.m., Chavez began striking his cell door with enough force to harm himself. Correctional Officers responded to his cell and ordered him away from the cell door. They ordered him to the rear of the cell so the officers could enter safely.   

"The Correctional Officers then entered the cell to place Chavez into a restraint chair for his safety," said Sheriff Jones. "After making entry into the cell, Chavez became combative and a Taser was deployed." 

Chavez continued to be combative with the officers, and, in an attempt to gain control of the distraught inmate, a struggle ensued. 

"While placing [him] in the restraint chair, Chavez bit two correctional officers and spat on another officer," said Jones. "One Correctional officer required medical treatment for a severe wound to his arm and was transported to the ER at Shannon Medical Center." 

Chavez was also transported to Shannon for medical treatment. He has been charged with two counts of Assault on a Public Servant, a felony of the third degree.