Two St. Clair County Sheriff deputies receive awards for saving inmate attempting suicide

Two St. Clair County Sheriff Department corrections deputies received life-saving awards Tuesday for saving an inmate who attempted to commit suicide.

Shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Oct 29, deputies Richard Rodriguez and Kent Porter were at their station inside the jail's housing unit when they saw an inmate climbing over a railing on the second floor of his unit, according to the sheriff department.

The deputies ran upstairs and pulled the inmate through an opening in the railing before he could attempt to hang himself with a bedsheet, according to the department.

“I am proud of the work all of our corrections deputies perform every day,” St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King said. “I am especially proud of the way Rich and Kent went above and beyond to rush to the inmate and save his life.”