Officials: Smith County Officer Attacked by Inmate

TYLER — A man booked at the Smith County Jail punched an officer in the face after being taken out of his cell to go through processing, according to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. KETK reports Tyler police had arrested Tyler Calvin Kendrick for criminal trespass. Kendrick was not photographed and fingerprinted at the time of booking because he was acting aggressively toward officers, according to authorities.

Officials say Kendrick was placed in a side cell for more than two hours before Officer Jason Jones spoke with Kendrick and felt it was safe to remove him from his cell to be printed and photographed. Seconds after Jones removed Kendrick from of his cell to speak with him further about being processed, Kendrick stopped complying and became hostile, at which time he struck Jones in the face with his fist, according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities say Jones suffered bruising and scrapes to the face as well as an injury on his arm. He was treated at East Texas Medical Center and released. Kendrick suffered no injuries and is charged with assault on a public servant, with a bond set at $75,000, according to officials.