Fort Worth Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH, Texas — Eleven jail inmates and a Tarrant County Sheriff’s Deputy were released from hospitals late Wednesday after a collision that caused a jail transport van to overturn on East Loop 820, officials said.
The inmates were taken to the Tarrant County jail and the van’s driver sent home, said Terry Grisham, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department spokesman. One inmate who suffers from two broken ribs will be cared for in the jail’s infirmary. A 12th inmate remains at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth under guard, where he will be treated for breathing difficulties and a broken rib, Grisham said.
The inmates and the deputy were taken to John Peter Smith and Harris hospitals about 9:30 a.m. The deputy was driving the van north on East Loop 820 near the Sun Valley exit when it was struck by a silver Trail Blazer and careened out of control, police said.
The van veered left and struck the highway’s steel guard rail, landing on its side on the rail and the short chain-link fence that sits atop it, said Sgt. Pedro Criado, police spokesman.
The inmates were being taken from the Mansfield jail to the Tarrant County Jail when the wreck took place, Grisham said.
Officials say the inmates were chained together with their hands and feet shackled as well during the transport.
Criado said the driver of the Trail Blazer was not hurt in the collision. The driver received a citation by officers and was allowed to leave the scene, Criado said.
Copyright 2009 Fort Worth Star-Telegram