On May 22 Kelby Hampson, a 19-year-old inmate at Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset, assaulted an officer from behind in one of the jail pods. The officer had his glasses knocked off and broken and was given a black eye, according to the TBRJ Administrator Mark Westrum.
Westrum said within 30 seconds two other officers came to help, and the other 60 inmates in the pod were put into lock down. The two officers, while escorting the uncooperative inmate from the pod into the holding area, fell in the hallway, according to Westrum.
Hampson, originally incarcerated for two assault charges, had been at the Kennebec County jail. Hampson has a record of disorderly conduct and assault dating back to 2010.
For his assault in the TBRJ, Hampson was charged with assault on an officer, a Class C felony, and refusing to sign a summons, a Class E misdemeanor.
Hampson has since been removed from TBRJ, said Westrum.
The TBRJ uses a “direct supervision” requiring fewer guards. Jail officials declined to identify the officer, citing security concerns
Westrum said that in the four years since the TBRJ opened, an officer has never been assaulted from behind. Hampson’s status conference date is set for September 27 at 8:30 a.m.
