A group of inmates in Weatherford, Texas, came out of their waiting room to help a nearby guard who had a medical emergency. The guard of the district court building collapsed after joking with the prisoners, and suffered “an apparent heart attack,” WFAA reported.
One of the inmates, Nick Kelton, recalled the June 23 incident saying: “He just fell down. It seemed like a performance. He could have died right there. “
When the inmates realized that something was wrong, they started shouting for help. As nobody came, they left the detention room. They did not find a pulse. Then they made a lot of noise, shouting and knocking on doors, which caused the deputies to go down the stairs and respond, according to WFAA. The top officers in the court thought there was a fight.
Ryan Speegle, Parker County Sheriff Sergeant, took the inmates to the waiting room again, “after seeing them standing next to the guard,” he said in his report.
Speegle told WFAA: “He had the keys. I had a weapon. It could have been an extremely bad situation. “
Kelton described the WFAA guard as “a good man”. He said: “I saw him die twice. It never crossed my mind not to help if you have a gun or a plaque. I will help you. “
Captain Mark Arnett told the station that the guard was saved by the prisoners. The guard, who has not been identified, is expected to return to work next week.
