***UPDATE*** 3/19/21 4:44 P.M.
Following a Friday afternoon court appearance, Rusk’s charges and bond have been set.
Rusk was charged by the state’s attorney’s office with both a class one felony and class two felony of aggravated battery on a corrections officer.
His bond was set at $100,000 with 10% allowed.
His preliminary hearing was set for Apr. 15 at 9:30 A.M.
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PEORIA, Ill. — A Peoria County Jail inmate bludgeoned a corrections officer during Thursday morning’s breakfast hour.
The incident occurred around 7:30 when 37-year-old Nicholas Rusk attacked the officer from behind with a broom handle. Inmates during morning hours are provided cleaning supplies.
Rusk’s assault on the officer continued for around 10 minutes, until the attacker’s cellmate got the attention of other staff, as the officer’s walkie-talkie was damaged beyond operability during the attack.
“Being we’re in COVID status, there were several detainees who weren’t in the housing area [where this took place], which kind of hurt the fact where we couldn’t get additional staff there, being that his communication device was disengaged,” said Sheriff Brian Asbell.
“If there were more people in the pod, there probably would have been more noise that would have alerted other staff. It was just a bad time of day, where all the staff was down in their respective housing areas, eating breakfast, so the audible sounds were hard to hear.”
The officer, a 17-year employee, sustained multiple injuries and major lacerations.
The officer was released from the hospital Thursday night and was recovering at home.
Rusk had been in jail since August for a DUI and multiple other traffic misdemeanors. His Thursday actions tacked on a charge of aggravated battery to a correctional employee, a felony.
“Due to the severity, there are different classes at which the state’s attorney can charge. I’d be safe to say he should be charged with attempted murder, but that’s ultimately going to be up to the state’s attorney,” Asbell said.
“We’ve had other events, but not this severe in my career. This is probably the most severe injury I’ve seen to staff.
“We’ll know more on that probably [Friday], when he goes to court.”
Asbell said when a detainee is injured inside the confines of the jail, a third party must conduct the investigation, but since it was a PCSO employee who got injured, the sheriff’s office may conduct its own internal investigation.
Asbell said Rusk will be placed on a segregation status, where he’ll have to have hard restraints on his body anytime he exits his cell, as well as a two-man escort at all times.
The sheriff said there was no apparent motive for the attack.
