Two staff members injured in Coralville prison assault

Two correctional officers were assaulted by an inmate Saturday night at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville.

One officer was working his post in one of the facility’s living units around 8 p.m. when an inmate approached him and started assaulting him, the Iowa Department of Corrections said in a news release Monday.

A second officer responded and attempted to apprehend the inmate, who then punched that officer, corrections officials said. Other staff arrived and apprehended the inmate.

The first officer was taken by ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where he was treated and released. The second officer was treated at the Coralville prison.

The alleged assault is under investigation.

The Medical and Classification Center, formerly known as Oakdale, houses about 950 inmates and serves as the reception and classification site for all men entering the prison system. The center handles 400 to 500 new commitments every month, the Corrections Department reported online.

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