Wood County Inmate Dies in Hospital

QUITMAN — An investigation is underway after a Wood County inmate died while in custody. On Thursday around 3:30 p.m., while conducting routine 30-minute security checks of the separation cells in the Wood County Jail, detention officers discovered an inmate who was unresponsive. KETK reports the inmate was identified as Robert Sharp, 69, of Holly Lake Ranch. The jail medical staff and detention officers immediately began efforts to revive Sharp and EMS was called, according to authorities. EMS arrived at the jail and took Sharp to a Quitman hospital. He was later flown to a Tyler medical center. At 10:15 p.m., doctors pronounced Sharp dead.

As required in custodial deaths, the justice of the peace in Tyler ordered an autopsy. Sheriff Jim Brown said his office is conducting an internal investigation. The Texas Rangers have been notified and will be conducting an investigation as well. The cause of death is pending the autopsy results. Sheriff Brown said that his staff did everything possible for Sharp and did it in a very professional manner.