HOT SPRINGS -- A man classified as a habitual offender was sentenced to 15 years in prison Tuesday for attacking a Garland County jailer earlier this year while he was an inmate in the lockup.
Joshua Edward Boyette, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree battery and two counts of residential burglary, all felonies, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on each count, all to run concurrently, with credit given for time served since his initial arrest Nov. 22, 2015.
He also admitted to his status as a habitual offender, stemming from his convictions on July 23, 2013, for two counts of residential burglary and one count of theft by receiving more than $1,000, and again on Nov. 14, 2013, for theft by receiving, all in Garland County.
According to the battery affidavit, on June 12, 2016, sheriff's investigator Brandon Huckaba was notified that Deputy Leonard Coatney, who was assigned to Housing Unit D at the jail, was injured in an attack by an inmate identified as Boyette. The attack was captured on video.
Huckaba reviewed the video, which showed that at 3:42 p.m. Coatney and Boyette were talking when Boyette suddenly raised his fist at the deputy. Coatney is seen using his radio and then pepper-spraying Boyette.
Boyette threw some of the spray back at Coatney before charging him, with the two ending up on the floor. Then Boyette could be seen punching Coatney in the head approximately eight times before putting him in a chokehold. Coatney broke free, but Boyette then punched him in the head nine more times.
Other deputies arrived to help, and Boyette surrendered and became compliant. Coatney was taken to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs and later returned to talk to Huckaba. He said he was attempting to lock down Unit D because it had gotten noisy, but Boyette refused to comply.
Coatney said he gave Boyette three direct orders to lock down before he radioed for assistance. He noted that the pepper spray struck only the back of Boyette's head and then Boyette attacked him.
State Desk on 11/19/2016