Charlotte County inmate injures himself after sentenced to 15 years

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (AP) – An inmate critically injured himself in a Charlotte County, Florida, jail hours after being sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office reported Friday that David Franklin Szakalos of Englewood jumped from a second story housing unit onto the concrete floor below.

The injury came several hours after Szakalos was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years probation on convictions of burglary with battery, battery on a person over 65 years and battery on a law enforcement officer/EMS.

The report said the 54-year-old climbed over a protective railing to make the jump. He was taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition.