3 inmates save deputy after he loses consciousness, splits head open in fall

Three inmates in Georgia are being praised after they came to the rescue of a deputy who lost consciousness and fell to the ground, splitting his head open, officials said.

"We are deeply appreciative to these three inmates for the courage, determination and kindness they displayed. … These inmates had no obligation whatsoever to render aid to a bleeding, vulnerable deputy, but they didn't hesitate," the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

The deputy, who was not named, fell ill while supervising the jailhouse unit. It was not clear what happened to him, but the inmates noticed he "appeared to be feeling poorly" and as they kept an eye on him, saw that he fell to the ground and split his head open, according to the sheriff's office.

The inmates, who were also not named, began pounding on their doors and soon were joined by the entire unit.

The deputy later told officials that while he did not realize he'd been unconscious, he became aware of the pounding and thought an inmate needed help, so he rose to his feet and pressed the control panel to open the cell doors, according to the sheriff's office.

He then lost consciousness again.

The three inmates who had initially been watching him came to his aid and radioed for help.

"We're happy to report that our deputy survived the harrowing incident and is recovering at home until he can return to duty," the sheriff's office said.