Inmate allegedly assaulted jail nurse and deputies, attempted escape

An inmate who allegedly attacked a jail nurse was also stopped from escaping from the hospital where he was being assessed.

The inmate was accused of attacking a jail nurse while receiving treatment in the medical clinic of the Thurston County Jail last Thursday, August 24.

The prisoner, whose identity has not been released, "committed an unprovoked attack on the female nurse and placed her in a chokehold," the Thurston County Sheriff wrote in a social media post.

Deputies stationed in the medical wing quickly responded, but the inmate refused to release his hold on the nurse. To get the prisoner to loosen his hold, one of the deputies hit the suspect’s face with his knee, forcing him to release his grip on the nurse and she was able to escape.

The inmate was then transported to a hospital for a precautionary medical evaluation with three deputies assigned to stand guard. The inmate did attempt an escape at the hospital and was not successful.

The suspect was to be sent back to the Thurston County Jail after his medical examination, where he will be charged with three charges of felony assault in addition to what he is already sentenced to.

The inmate was detained at Thurston County Jail when he was arrested by the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force after being on the run for more than eight months.

His bail was set at $60,000, not including the no-bail warrant from Mason County.

“Thurston County Sheriff's Office learned that Centralia PD also has probable cause to arrest this individual for ramming a Centralia Officer in a stolen car a few months ago before eluding them,” authorities further reported.

The jail nurse and deputies involved in the assault are currently recovering at the hospital after suffering minor injuries.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office reported on a social media post that Thurston County Superior Court found probable cause to the three additional charges of felony assault and noted that the inmate “posed a significant public safety and flight risk.”