Inmate Suffers Critical Head Injury In South County Jail Attack

FROSTPROOF, FL — A South County Jail inmate has been charged with aggravated battery after he attacked another inmate on Sunday, a police news release said. During the assault, the victim's head hit the concrete floor, and he is listed in critical condition at an area hospital.

Noel Torres, 33, ran past a deputy who had unlocked Torres' cell to retrieve a food tray, and hit another inmate twice in the face with his hands, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Authorities put Torres back in his cell after the altercation.

Detectives said that during the investigation they discovered Torres and the victim had issues with each other over Torres’s allegation that the victim took food items from the trays.

“Torres is a violent inmate with 60 prior felony arrests, proving he is a career criminal with absolutely no concern for others," said Sheriff Grady Judd in a news release.

According to police, Torres was arrested by Polk County Sheriff's Office on October, 3, 2018, for robbery, burglary of a conveyance and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

On July 3, 2019, Torres battered another inmate and was charged with aggravated battery and is being held on no bond for that charge.

His criminal history includes 60 prior felonies and 33 prior misdemeanors, including battery domestic violence, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping-false imprisonment, battery on a law enforcement officer, robbery, grand theft, possession of cocaine, possession of heroin and possession of drug equipment, authorities said.