The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Dillon Schlegel, 17, was sentenced Monday morning, by Judge Layne Walker, to 30 years in prison on capital charges of attempted murder. Prosecutors certified Schlegel as an adult on March 8 and he pleaded guilty to the charges in August.

The charges stem from an incident on Jan. 26 as Fred Ashworth, of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, was transporting Schlegel, who was 16 years old at the time, back to the Minnie Rogers Juvenile Justice Center, in Mid-County, following a hearing in Orange. He had parked the OCSO vehicle in the sally port and was preparing to escort Schlegel into the center. Schlegel was shackeled in the backseat but had managed to manipluate the handcuffs and grab Ashworth’s gun which was in the front seat of the vehicle.

A struggle ensued and Ashwoth attempted to fight off the juvenile with his Taser. However, the teen managed to shoot Ashworth twice in the upper chest. Jailers trapped Schlegel in the sally port before he was able to make his escape. They later talked him into surrendering the gun and he was taken into custody.

Ashworth was not wearing a bullet proof vest at the time of the shooting. He required surgery for his injuries and has since returned to work.