Two staff members injured at Coralville prison

CORALVILLE - Staff members at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center were injured Friday while attempting to restrain an inmate, according to state officials.

A counselor was working with an inmate in a mental health unit at the Coralville prison when the inmate indicated he would try to harm himself by jumping from an upper level of the unit, according to a Department of Corrections news release. As staff tried to keep the inmate from hurting himself, another inmate became 'physically aggressive” and staff had to restrain that inmate.

As several correctional officers were trying to restrain the two, the aggressive inmate resisted by wrestling with and kicking the staff members, who were injured, officials said.

One sergeant had a neck injury and was relieved from duty to see a doctor. The other officer was evaluated by facility medical staff for a possible concussion but was deemed fit to return to duty. 

This incident remains under investigation.

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