Fight inside the Hamilton County Jail sends one inmate to the hospital

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF) – A Hixson man with a violent criminal past was arrested following an assault in downtown Chattanooga then was charged with a second assault after arriving at the Hamilton County Jail.

Barry Dent, 37, of  Hixson is being held on a $20,000 for two counts of aggravated assault.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by News 12, the first alleged assault happened 7:30 Saturday night in the 700 block of Broad Street.

The victim told police, Dent threatened him with a knife while calling him racial slurs. The victim’s statements were backed up by eyewitnesses who watched the alleged crime unfold.

Thirty minutes after police transported Dent to the Hamilton County Jail, he reportedly got into a fight with an inmate. According to the affidavit, Dent assaulted the inmate to the point where the inmate was unconscious and had to be transported by paramedics to Erlanger.

Hamilton County Court records show that Dent has a violent criminal past that dates back to the late 90’s. Most of his prior assault charges had been dismissed in court.

Barry’s next court date is September 12.