The prison guard collapsed with a heart attack - then broke the prisoners out
The prison guard suffered a heart attack and fell unconscious to the floor. The inmates were locked in, but not entirely helpless witnesses.
The prison guard suffered a heart attack and fell unconscious to the floor. The inmates were locked in, but not entirely helpless witnesses.
Eight men sitting in jail in the courthouse in Weatherford District in Texas, became heroes when arrest guard got an ailment.
- He fell suddenly on. It resembled a play, said Nick Kelton to News8abc.
He is one of the inmates who witnessed the drama.
Had no pulse
First, they tried inmates to shout for help, but when no one heard them, they took a decision that could have been very dangerous for them.
The eight inmates managed to break the door to the cell, to get out and help guard. He had no pulse, and the prisoners started lifesaving treatment.
Worried about guards reactions
But even if they had broken out to help a fellow human being, they were fully aware of what the situation would look like if other guards entered.
- I was worried that the other prison guards would come running with their arms raised, says Kelton.
The gang made as much noise as they could, to attract the attention of guards.
- They thought it was a fight going on and that we had taken over the whole place, says one of the other inmates to News8abc.
Could have been dangerous
Prison officer Ryan Speegle was the first guard who came to the rescue.
He got the prisoners back before he totally had understood what was about to happen outside the cell.
He continued first aid on the colleague.
- It could have been very dangerous, says Speegle, who did not know what awaited him when he heard shouts and screams.
- Guard had keys and weapons. It could have been a very serious situation, said Speegle.
Eventually paramedics to the site and used a defibrillator to initiate the heart to the guard again. The inmates were witnesses to the rest of the drama from the cell.
Called for help: The prisoners did everything they could to get the attention of the guards but were nervous about what they would Doreta them when they came down to the brig. Photo: Parker County.
Never in doubt
The prison guards are not in doubt that the prisoners kept watching.
- He'd been lying for 10-15 minutes before any other employees would have found him, said Captain Mark Arnett in Parker County.
The inmates say that they never doubted they would help.
- He's a good man. If he has police divorced or person - if he falls for, of course, we will help him, said Nick Kelton to News8abc.
- It's a perfectly natural thing to do, says inmate Floyd Smith, who ironically is in custody on suspicion of assault on a public official.
After the event is prison cell has been enhanced so that it will not be possible to break the door of the cell.