(La Porte, IN) - A suspect in a Michigan City robbery is now facing criminal allegations of punching a La Porte County Jail officer. Avery Smith, 33, has been charged with Level 5 felony battery.
According to court documents, the attack was incited when the jail officer on December 8th opened the door to the jail cell occupied by Smith and asked him to remove a blanket covering the window on the door of his jail cell. Smith obeyed the request but seemed angry with the jail officer.
The officer tried shutting the cell door but Smith allegedly used his foot to keep it from latching and did it again despite a verbal warning. Smith then lunged out of the cell before the door closed and landed a right hook to the jailer’s face, bending his eyeglasses and leaving him dazed.
According to jail officials, covering the window on a jail cell door is a violation because it restricts the ability to monitor the activities of inmates in their cells.
Smith of Michigan City was being detained to face charges in connection with the March 3 robbery at the Smoke and Vape Shop in the 3300 block of Franklin Street. Police said he allegedly struck an employee in the head and fled with an undetermined amount of currency.
