Sheriff: Jail officer thrown from second story by inmate at Carroll County jail

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. - A Carroll County jail officer is recovering from serious head and back trauma after investigators said an inmate brutally attacked her in a cell. They said during the attack, the 20-year-old female officer was thrown off the second-floor balcony after an inmate was asked to give up netted laundry bags he was hoarding.

"It was a volatile situation there for a couple mins," said Investigator Ashley Hulsey of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office.

On Sunday, what was supposed to be a quick cell check in the jail ended in a bloody fight. Investigators say a female officer asked 34-year-old inmate Patrick Gentry to return netted laundry bags he had inside his cell.

"He was upset because they woke him up to search his cell," said Hulsey.

Officers said Gentry refused to hand over the laundry bags and started threatening to hurt the officer. Seconds later, the Sheriff's Office said those threats turned into action.

Hulsey said Gentry grabbed the officer by her hair and flung her over the rails onto the concrete shower below. She said the woman hit her head on the concrete partition between the showers and then fell into the shower.

Investigators said inmates came to help the female officer.

"The inmate that was particularly in the cell with Mr. Gentry, he actually fully engaged him once he saw how much Mr. Gentry had hurt her," said Hulsey.  

Then, other jail officers rushed in to help. The young woman was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries after hitting the concrete divider of the shower and falling 12 feet. The extent of her recovery is unknown, but she was released from the hospital Monday night.

"Hitting that block partition really did some head damage and back damage, and there was a good deal of blood, so we were really worried about her," said Hulsey.

Patrick Gentry is now facing charges for aggravated assault, aggravated battery, terroristic threats and criminal attempt to commit murder.

"We hate that this happened, and Sheriff Langley said today that we plan to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law and will be fierce with that because we will not tolerate someone hurting one of our officers," said Hulsey.

The Sheriff's Office is asking for prayers from the community as this young officer recovers.