Posted 11:04 pm Tuesday, December 04, 2012
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Prison guard arrested on assault charges
A volatile situation involving a lieutenant at a state prison unit in Anderson County, who allegedly beat his wife and threatened to kill her and others, was diffused Sunday by co-workers who talked the man into giving up peacefully.
Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor said Elton Shawn Sims, 39, was in jail, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, deadly conduct and interfering with an emergency call, after the 3 a.m. ordeal near the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Beto 1 Unit.
Taylor said, Deputy Russell Wesson was the first on the scene at Number 6 Back Gate Road near the unit, but guards and neighbors should be credited with diffusing the incident.
“We got a call about 3:15 a.m. Sunday morning from Sims wife stating she had been beaten by her husband and he had pointed a .357 Glock at her,” he said.
Taylor said during the phone call Sims, a lieutenant at the Gurney Unit, took the phone from his wife, a sergeant with TDCJ, and smashed it with the gun, keeping her from talking to emergency personnel.
Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor said Elton Shawn Sims, 39, was in jail, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, deadly conduct and interfering with an emergency call, after the 3 a.m. ordeal near the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Beto 1 Unit.
Taylor said, Deputy Russell Wesson was the first on the scene at Number 6 Back Gate Road near the unit, but guards and neighbors should be credited with diffusing the incident.
“We got a call about 3:15 a.m. Sunday morning from Sims wife stating she had been beaten by her husband and he had pointed a .357 Glock at her,” he said.
Taylor said during the phone call Sims, a lieutenant at the Gurney Unit, took the phone from his wife, a sergeant with TDCJ, and smashed it with the gun, keeping her from talking to emergency personnel.
“He told her he wanted to die by suicide by cop so he went outside and fired shots into the air and also threatened to shoot someone else if they got involved,” he said.
Taylor said TDCJ personnel quickly began talking to Sims in hopes of getting the man to put up his gun and give up peacefully.
“Fortunately, these TDCJ personnel did a good job at talking him down and getting him to put the gun up,” he said.
Taylor said deputies found the gun on top of a refrigerator where there were bottles of alcohol and beer cans.
“It appears alcohol may have played a part in all of this, and now he has more than likely lost his job and is facing some serious charges,” he said.
TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark said Sims had been employed by the prison system for the past 15 years.
Clark said several TDCJ officials responded to the scene, including an assistant regional director.
“Assistant Regional Director Bud Howard was able to establish a dialogue with Sims and convinced him to surrender to authorities, and Sims complied,” he said.
Clark said Sims’ employment with the state is pending, and he is barred from entering state property unless the warden grants him permission.
Taylor said TDCJ personnel quickly began talking to Sims in hopes of getting the man to put up his gun and give up peacefully.
“Fortunately, these TDCJ personnel did a good job at talking him down and getting him to put the gun up,” he said.
Taylor said deputies found the gun on top of a refrigerator where there were bottles of alcohol and beer cans.
“It appears alcohol may have played a part in all of this, and now he has more than likely lost his job and is facing some serious charges,” he said.
TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark said Sims had been employed by the prison system for the past 15 years.
Clark said several TDCJ officials responded to the scene, including an assistant regional director.
“Assistant Regional Director Bud Howard was able to establish a dialogue with Sims and convinced him to surrender to authorities, and Sims complied,” he said.
Clark said Sims’ employment with the state is pending, and he is barred from entering state property unless the warden grants him permission.
