The Orlando Sentinel
COLEMAN, Fla. — Four inmates were stabbed Sunday night during a disturbance at the federal prison in Sumter County, prison officials said Monday.
Three of the inmates were airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment. Associate Warden Bill Bechtold declined to release their identities and conditions, citing the prison’s privacy rules.
“There was a fight,” Bechtold said. “The incident was quickly contained by responding staff. There is currently an investigation under way.”
Lake-Sumter Emergency Medical Services was called to the prison four times between 6:41 and 10:43 p.m., according to Chip Chenoweth, assistant chief of emergency medical services for the department. The first three calls, at 6:41, 7:33 and 7:59 p.m., were to Coleman’s maximum-security Unit 1 and resulted in two helicopter transports to ORMC. The fourth call was to maximum-security Unit 2, also leading to a helicopter transport.
Bechtold said no staff members were injured. He declined to comment further on the incident.
On Oct. 8, an inmate serving a life sentence for a 2005 double murder in Vermont apparently committed suicide at the prison. Prison guards found James E. Richitelli hanging from the top bunk of his cell during an inmate head count.
Copyright 2007 Orlando Sentinel