FOLSOM – California State Prison-Sacramento (CSP-SAC) officials have started an investigation into a staff assault incident that sent four employees to the hospital.
Shortly after 7 a.m. today, inmate Tyrone E. Owens, 32, suddenly attacked two psychiatric technicians who were dispensing medication in the unit’s dayroom. Without provocation, Owens pushed a medication cart into a psychiatric technician, knocking her to the floor. Owens then began striking a second psychiatric technician in his face and head with both of his fists. A correctional officer immediately used physical force to stop Owens’ attack. Two other officers also responded and were finally able to restrain Owens and remove him from the area.
The two psychiatric technicians and two correctional officers were injured and taken to an outside hospital. The first psychiatric technician who was knocked to the floor suffered a sprained wrist, bruised arm and swollen knees. The second psychiatric technician suffered abrasions, scratches and pain and swelling to his head and back. The first responding officer suffered pain to her head, elbow, knee and thigh and one of the responding officers was treated for scratches behind his ear. All four were treated and released.
Inmate Owens has been in prison since Dec. 31, 2007. He is serving a five-year conviction from Los Angeles County for second-degree robbery and a two-year, eight-month conviction for grand theft of a person. In February 2010, Owens received a four-year conviction from Riverside County for possession/manufacture of a deadly weapon by a prisoner, his second strike.
Officers investigating this incident searched the cell occupied by inmate Owens and his cellmate and recovered an inmate-manufactured weapon.
CSP-SAC, opened in 1986, is a maximum-security prison that houses nearly 2,300 general population inmates and employs about 1,700 people. The institution houses inmates serving long sentences and those who have proven to be management problems at other institutions. CSP-SAC also houses inmates requiring specialized mental health treatment.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
CONTACT: LT. L.A. QUINN (916) 294-3012