A Catoosa County inmate was seriously injured on Thursday in an assault by another inmate.
According to Sheriff Gary R. Sisk, around 1 a.m. on Thursday after lockdown, Catoosa County Sheriff's Office jail staff were alerted to an assault in progress involving two inmates. Inmate Erwin Vanegas, currently incarcerated at the Catoosa County Jail, was involved in an assault on fellow Inmate Robert White.
Upon arrival, staff found White to be seriously injured. It appears the assault took place while White was lying down. Preliminary investigations suggest that White had upset Vanegas earlier in the evening, which led to tension between the two inmates.
Due to the severity of his injuries, White was transported to Erlanger Hospital, where he is listed in serious condition.
Sheriff Gary R. Sisk said, "We take all acts of violence in our facility very seriously. Our detention staff acted swiftly to address the situation and ensure that Inmate White received medical attention, and Inmate Vanegas was segregated to prevent any further violence. We are committed to investigating this assault thoroughly and will take appropriate actions based on the findings."