News short: Purgatory locked down after inmate incident

HURRICANE – The Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane was locked down for about two hours Tuesday afternoon after a suicide attempt was made by an inmate at the jail.

The inmate, a man, suffered self-inflicted injuries and was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George for treatment, Washington County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jake Schultz said. No other persons were involved in the incident.

The lockdown went into effect at about 12:45 p.m., and the jail remained on full lockdown for about two hours, which is standard protocol when an incident like this happens, Schultz said. The jail remained on restricted movement for about an hour following the lockdown.

Around the holidays, Schultz said, workers at Purgatory are on enhanced watch for suicidal signs among the inmates.

“It’s definitely a more vulnerable time for people who are incarcerated,” he said.

The lockdown has been fully lifted, and normal activity has resumed at the jail, Schultz said.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2014, all rights reserved.

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13 Comments

  • Marcbeth November 25, 2014 at 9:21 pm

    Will they disclose who it was? My brother is there…has been for a year. He’s just waiting to be transfered to prison when they finally have room so he can officially start his sentence 🙁

    • Avatar photo Cami Cox Jim November 25, 2014 at 10:24 pm

      Hi,
      They would not disclose the name of the inmate, but they said he is a low-level inmate and, because he’ll be in the hospital for quite a while and because he is not a dangerous criminal, he’s been released from jail custody on the promise that he’ll attend his court hearings. So if you call the hospital and give your brother’s name, they should be able to tell you if he’s currently a patient at the hospital.

      • Marcbeth November 26, 2014 at 12:47 am

        Thanks Cami. I doubt it’s him or anyone else prison bound then. This makes me want to make a better effort to schedule regular visits during the holidays though…

  • Native born New Mexican November 25, 2014 at 10:44 pm

    Why, why, why are so many people being jailed? Wow suicide is a problem at the jail over the holidays! Who would have thought! Only the worst of the worst should be in jail. For example jail staff who rape inmates definitely belong in jail and attorney generals who make big crooked financial deals also need to spend Christmas in jail. People with unpaid traffic tickets or people who tick off corrupt judges or city officials should be home eating turkey with their friends and family. Just a note the St George news reported this incident but I can guarantee you the inmate’s family was not told about it. … Hours or days after a event like this the family may find out if the inmate survives and is able to tell his family himself. Other wise it is off to a mandatory autopsy for the deceased and then when the jail gets around to it the family will be informed to come and claim the body. research it for your self! We are such a compassionate country!
    Ed. ellipsis.

    • Zonkerb November 26, 2014 at 9:28 am

      Ha ha ha ha really.? LOL. Ha ha ha ha ha hey you want some cheese with that wine. LOL.!…… YOU DO THE CRIME THEN DO THE TIME

    • My Evil Twin November 26, 2014 at 9:58 am

      If you are unhappy with the way the jail is run, then I suggest you do nothing to cause yourself to be placed there. It is YOUR decision, you know.

      • Zonkerb November 26, 2014 at 3:00 pm

        Oh wow you made it here you must of dialed 911 and had them flight for life you out of the roundabout

      • Native born New Mexican November 26, 2014 at 5:58 pm

        I think you are deliberately avoiding my point evil twin. I know you can read. First ANYONE including even you can end up in jail for some stupid, unexpected reason. Second we should not be treating people in this country in a brutal, unmerciful way even if we do think they are dirty scum, beneath us and deserving of bad treatment. Do you think that about people evil twin? Two wrongs do not make a right. Ever heard that said? Third what crime? I refuse to call being human, breathing air, and walking down the street a crime. That’s all it takes for some people to go to jail on suspicion of some “bad” deed they may have done. when they start putting drunk driving cops and badly behaving jail personal in jail with the same people they jail and for the same amount of time maybe things will change a little. Read the 25th chapter of Matthew in the New Testament. it explains what God considers to be just and unjust actions. I will take God’s word for it any day.

        • My Evil Twin November 26, 2014 at 7:49 pm

          You are very transparent Native Born. Very.

          • My Evil Twin November 26, 2014 at 7:51 pm

            Hit submit a bit before I should have. I know you claim never to have been jailed. However, your posts point to you being a repeat offender that has been jailed in numerous locations. Your hate for law enforcement is so blatantly obvious that it would be funny, if it wasn’t so sad.

          • Native born New Mexican November 27, 2014 at 12:56 pm

            Never spent time in jail. Know the system because I care about people who have had to deal with our corrupt law enforcement/ legal system. I gave you Matthew 25 to read and I hope you did it. There is my motivation pure and simple. The most important among us are no more important than the lease among us or so says Jesus.

  • PROTECT THE SHEEP November 26, 2014 at 9:50 am

    Only the unworthy are kept jailed…

  • unworthy dancing infidel November 26, 2014 at 11:57 am

    I am proud to be called an unworthy dancing infidel…..I’ll wear that title as an badge of honor. Oh, by the way…..I am NOT in jail.
    HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL.

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