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| Victoria County jailer stabbed in scuffle with inmate |
| By Victoria Advocate |
| Published: 12/08/2003 |
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A 30-year-old Victoria County, Texas jailer was released from Citizens Medical Center last Wednesday afternoon after he was stabbed in the back the night before during a scuffle with an inmate. "It pains me to see one of my fellow officers, or any law enforcement officer, injured while just trying to do their duty," said Mike Ratcliff, Victoria County sheriff. The stabbing occurred about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when Dave Thedford was performing his usual duties of checking inmates inside the jail, according Ratcliff. Thedford was radioed to check on an inmate who said water was flooding the floor of his first-floor cell. The water, Ratcliff said, was a result of a problem with the plumbing. The water was clean and not septic fluid, he said. As Thedford approached the cell, he radioed for the door to be opened, Ratcliff said. The inmate began walking out of the cell and Thedford ordered him to stop. Ratcliff said inmates are not supposed to leave their cells unless ordered by a jailer. A struggle ensued between the two men and the inmate pulled out a weapon. Ratcliff declined to elaborate on the type of weapon but offense reports described it as a shank. Ratcliff said a shank is common terminology within a jail referring to "a sharp object commonly used to inflict injury." Two other men, Detention Officer Ruben Arambula and Deputy Don Chacon, ran to help Bedford. It was not until after the inmate was restrained that Bedford discovered he was stabbed. He was first taken to the jail's infirmary and then to the hospital. Ratcliff declined to release certain information about the incident until after the case is presented to the grand jury. While Ratcliff would not release the name of the inmate involved in the stabbing, he did say that he was being held on a Victoria felony charge. Because the inmate was not arrested on any new charges, his bail will remain at the same amount as it was before the offense occurred. |
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