An inmate is facing more charges after punching a Hillsborough County deputy in the face.
At about 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy was attempting to exit a jail pod with 38-year-old inmate Michler Gabriel.
As the two were about to walk through the doors, deputies say Gabriel refused to back away from the door as the deputy was opening it. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister says they told allow inmates to take things from one pod to another to avoid the manufacturing of weapons and exchange of items. He says the man had a brush and deputy Robert Hoban refused to let him pass.
“All of us, I think agree that we can do without her hairbrush. I love my hair," said Chronister.
When the deputy tried to stop him, Gabriel is seen on camera punching the deputy in the face, striking him multiple times as he fell backwards onto a wall.
The deputy was taken to the hospital and suffered from bruising, swelling and lacerations.
“This individual didn’t display those violent tendencies where they had to take those precautions," said Chronister. Now, he says Gabriel is being held in confinement.
Prior to this incident, Gabriel was being held at Orient Road Jail on charges of Driving with a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance (5 counts), possession of cannabis, armed trafficking in phenethylamines, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, felon in possession of a firearm (2 counts) and carrying a concealed firearm.
He now faces additional charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and battery by a detained person.
"I couldn’t be more proud of how the responding deputies who knew that their deputy, their partner was being attacked," said Chronister.
