COLUMBUS, Ind. — Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies have served a warrant to Bartholomew County Jail inmate James P. Snodgrass, 65, Edinburgh, accusing him of felony battery resulting in bodily injury to a law enforcement officer.
Deputies said at 4:40 p.m. March 16, jail correctional officers were completing tray pass when Snodgrass became unruly.
As officers entered his cell, Snodgrass became extremely combative and began striking both officers, deputies said. Both correctional officers received medical treatment for their injuries.
Correctional officers are responsible for enforcing rules and regulations in the jail, Sheriff Matt Myers said.
“It is their job to oversee individuals who have been arrested or are awaiting trial or who have been sentenced to serve time in jail,” he said. “This is an extremely serious offense.”
“Battery on any (sheriff department) law enforcement officer will not be tolerated and any person doing so will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Myers said.
“Our correctional officers are not going to be kicked, spat on and beaten up in any way,” said Bartholomew County Jail Commander Maj. John Martoccia. “I would not allow jail staff to treat our inmates disrespectfully and staff will be treated respectfully by our inmates.”
Snodgrass was being held in the Bartholomew County Jail on multiple charges, deputies said. His bond for the March 16 incident is set at $100,000.
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
