what happens in prison.

[where I work]

April 5, 2012

Inmate charged in prison guard beating

Gonzalez faces attempted murder, aggravated battery

By Mike Fletcher Tribune staff writer

Bunker Hill — A man serving 40 years in prison for aggravated battery now faces attempted murder after state police say he severely beat a guard at the Miami Correctional Facility.

The Feb. 29 attack was unprovoked, said Sgt. Tony Slocum, public information officer at the Indiana State Police Peru Post.
Ruben Gonzalez, 39, beat Rodney Gahl repeatedly in the head and face with a sock containing a pad lock, Slocum said in a news release.

Gahl, a 10-year employee, suffered a skull fracture, a broken jaw, arterial bleeding inside his neck and hearing loss, a state police news release stated.

Gahl was airlifted to a Fort Wayne hospital for treatment. He likely will face several months of rehabilitation in his recovery, state police reported.

After the attack, Gonzalez was transferred to the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle for safety concerns, police report. Police served a Miami Circuit Court warrant for attempted murder and aggravated battery on Gonzalez last week at the prison.

An automatic not guilty plea was entered on Gonzalez’s behalf at his initial hearing held last week by video conference from the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. He is set to appear May 17 for his pre-trial hearing, which also will be held via video conferencing.

Gonzalez is serving a 40-year prison term stemming from a 2000 Lake County conviction for aggravated battery. If convicted on the recent charges, he could serve an additional 50 years in prison for attempted murder and up to 20 years for the aggravated battery.

Calls made to Miami Correctional Facility were not returned Wednesday for comment.