MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a jail inmate on new charges after an assault on a corrections officer.
Early Monday, Curtis Lee Harris 40, of Chanute, Kansas assaulted a Corrections Officers in an attempt to escape the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, according to a media release from the Montgomery County Sheriff.
Inmate Harris used force to gain control of a Taser from a Corrections Officer. The Corrections Officer acted quickly deploying pepper spray and radioing for backup. When the first backup Corrections Officer arrived to assist Harris deployed the Taser striking the second Corrections Officer. Moments later a third Corrections Officer arrived and deployed his Taser striking Harris causing Harris to fall to the floor.
Once Harris was on the ground Corrections Officers attempted to gain control of Harris, but Harris was still in the possession of the Taser. Using the Taser Harris delivered shocks to the Corrections Officers multiple times during the scuffle. After losing control of the Taser, Harris was able to eventually get to his feet and retreated to his cell and the door to the cell was closed.
During the four minute ordeal Harris was trying to obtain keys in an attempt to escape and made threats to all three of the Corrections Officers involved. “The Corrections Officers acted quickly to try and gain control of the situation” “Their quick action and bravery when presented with an armed suspect prevented a dangerous person from escaping into the community” Sheriff Dierks said.
The Corrections Officers sustained minor injuries and for his part Harris is now facing multiple counts of attempted aggravated escape from custody, Aggravated assault, and criminal threat against a law enforcement officer.