8 Inmates Hurt in 3rd Brawl at Castaic Jail

Eight inmates were injured Tuesday in a racially motivated brawl at the Los Angeles County jail in Castaic, the third such incident in three days, authorities said.

Tuesday’s disturbance at the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho was touched off by a dispute over a card game but quickly took on racial overtones, officials said.

All three fights began as disputes between individual black and Latino prisoners and escalated into brawls involving scores of inmates. The two fights Sunday left 37 inmates injured. No deputies were injured in any of the disturbances.

Deputies said the incidents were not related, pointing out that they occurred in separate dormitories and involved different prisoners.

One of the inmates injured Tuesday was treated at the County-USC Medical Center jail ward for a possible broken arm. Two others were treated at San Fernando Hospital, one for a possible concussion and one for cuts.