Three custody deputies were injured by an Santa Barbara County Jail inmate on Sunday, according to County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Kelly Hoover.

The inmate was attempting to hang himself and when two deputies entered the cell around 10:30 p.m. to aid the inmate, he hit one custody deputy in the head and ran out of the cell, Hoover said.

“The custody deputies tased the inmate several times in an attempt to detain him but he continued to fight and resist,” Hoover said.

“It took multiple custody deputies to restrain him, place him in handcuffs and transport him to a safety cell.”

Hoover said two additional deputies were injured in the process. 

The three injured deputies were taken to the hospital for minor injuries and cleared to return to work, she said.

The inmate was not transported to the hospital, Hoover said.

A criminal complaint for battery on a peace officer and resisting arrest will be sent to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for review, Hoover said. 

Hoover said the inmate is also under investigation for an assault on a group of inmates the same day in a dormitory housing unit.

“The inmates from the alleged assault earlier were not sent to the hospital,” she said.

The identity of the inmate and deputies were not disclosed and further details were not immediately available. 

— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.