PHOENIX (AP) - Maricopa County Sheriff’s officials says a detention officer has been seriously injured after being assaulted by an inmate.
They say Johann Benson was being transported from the Lower Buckeye Jail to the custody of the state Department of Corrections on Wednesday morning.
During the inmate exchange, authorities say Benson allegedly struck a detention officer in the face.
That caused the officer to fall and hit his head on the ground.
Sheriff’s officials say the detention officer was taken to a hospital and remains in serious condition.
They say Benson remains in DOC custody pending an investigation into the assault.
The injured detention officer’s name wasn’t immediately released and authorities didn’t say why Benson was in custody.
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