SmithJoeDaleAccording to Brown County Sheriff’s Office, a Brown County jailer was treated at the Brownwood Regional Medical Center after being assaulted by a maximum security inmate on August 16th.  Brown County jailer Zachariah Lundy was treated and released late Thursday from the Brownwood Regional Medical Center after receiving numerous stitches and treatment for mouth and head injuries, according to BCSO officials. Lundy is reported to be recovering at home from his injuries.

The following details were released by BCSO in the release:

On August 16, 2012, 5:30 pm, an inmate of the Brown County Jail, Joe Smith, a white male, DOB 10-14-1988, assaulted a Brown County Jailer as the jailer was attempting to collect cleaning supplies from inmate Smith’s cell.  Smith assaulted the jailer with a head-butt and was restrained by Jailer Lundy and the jail staff. As Smith was being restrained, he spit on jailers.

Smith has a history of violence, theft, and drug abuse and has been arrested numerous times in Brown County.  On June 3rd, he was arrested for charges of Fraud, Possession of Controlled Substances, Forgery, Driving While License Suspended, Bail Jumping, and Theft by Check.  Since incarceration, Smith has received numerous disciplinary actions for assaults and violent behavior, destruction of property, and non-compliance. Smith also assaulted a jailer at approximately 9:06pm on August 15th.  This event caused a fractured shoulder to Jail Sergeant Chester Land. Also, while incarcerated, Smith was charged with Possessing a Deadly Weapon in a Penal Institution after he fabricated a shank to use to assault a jailer. He was also charged with a previous assault on a jailer, occurring on August 3, 2012.

Brown County Sheriff Bobby Grubbs explained that jailers have potentially dangerous jobs and that he commends the jail staff in the way that they handled the situation.

“Our jailers have a very difficult and dangerous job. Even with extensive training, our jailers regularly face assaultive behavior and very dangerous situations.  In this particular event, our jailers handled themselves commendably,” said Grubbs.  “From our investigation, it is readily obvious this could have been worse had it not been for the professionalism of our jail staff.  The Brown County Jail has an authorized capacity of 196 inmates and currently holds 151 inmates; of those seventy seven are classified as maximum security inmates.”