Catoosa County inmate transported to local hospital after assault incident

CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) —  An assault occurred between two inmates at the Catoosa County Jail recently, leaving one critically

Erwin Vanegas / Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office

injured.

Around 1:00 a.m., December 5, 2024, jail staff were made aware of an assault in progress involving two inmates.

According to the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), the two inmates that were involved were Erwin Vanegas and Robert White.

When jail staff arrived, they found White seriously injured.

The assault appeared to take place while White was laying down.

According to CCSO’s preliminary investigation, White had upset Vanegas earlier that evening.

This led to tension growing between the two inmates.

White was transported to Erlanger Hospital due to the severity of his injuries.

He’s currently listed in serious condition.

Robert White / Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office

“We take all acts of violence in our facility very seriously.  Our detention staff acted swiftly to address the situation and ensure that Inmate White received medical attention, and Inmate Vanegas was segregated to prevent any further violence.  We are committed to investigating this assault thoroughly and will take appropriate actions based on the findings,” stated Sheriff Gary R. Sisk.

No further information is available as this remains an ongoing investigation.