PUEBLO, Colo. – A deputy working at the Pueblo County jail was “severely assaulted” and hospitalized after he was allegedly attacked by an inmate on Christmas afternoon.
The county sheriff’s office says the deputy suffered head lacerations after he was attacked by James Twiford, 34, while trying to serve him a meal around 5 p.m.
The office said in a news release that Twiford was able to grab the deputy’s radio and tracking tool and repeatedly hit him in the face and head before more deputies arrived.
Another deputy was treated for minor injuries at the scene. The sheriff’s office said Twiford’s jail door slot was not working correctly at the time, which is why the deputy had to deliver the meal through the open door.
Twiford faces two felony counts of second-degree assault on a peace officer stemming from the alleged attack. He was being held on charges out of Denver and Jefferson County.
“It can’t be stated enough, current detention conditions pose additional safety risks,” Sheriff Kirk Taylor said in a news release regarding the alleged assault.
