3 Tarrant County Detention Officers Arrested After Alleged Assault By 1 That Put Inmate In Hospital

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Three Tarrant County detention officers were arrested Wednesday by the Tarrant County Sheriff's deputies for an incident that happened in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 19.

Detention Officer Reginald Lowe was arrested for Aggravated Assault Serious Bodily Injury.

Detention Officer Lewis Velasquez was arrested for Official Oppression.

Detention Officer Dakota Coston was arrested for Official Oppression.

According to an arrest affidavit, video in the Tarrant County Corrections Center Housing Unit 55B, three officers can be seen approaching the cell door.

The affidavit explains:

The officers can be seen opening the door and the inmate starts swinging an object at the officers as he backs up to the back of the cell.

The inmate can be seen climbing on to his bunk and is followed by the first officer.

The inmate is then slammed to the bunk and the first officer appears to be punching the inmate several times as the officer's arm is making several quick back and forth motions.

It appeared to be about 6 times.

The third officer in the cell is kicking a clothing object out of the cell while the second officer is standing in the cell and appears to be watching the altercation.

Once the alteration is over, all three officers exit the cell and walk towards the front of the housing unit.

The inmate was taken to the hospital two days later for difficulty breathing.

According to the affidavit, he told the jail nurse he was assaulted by Officer Lowe.

The hospitalized inmate has a chest tube to help with a collapsed lung.

He also suffered multiple rib fractures on the right side and a broken cheek bone on the left side and requires surgery on the broken cheek bone.

There was no incident or use of force report completed by any officer.

All three detention officers are suspended while criminal and internal investigations are ongoing.