The Santa Cruz County sheriff deputy, who sustained injuries from an inmate who escaped her custody yesterday, has been released from the hospital. Deputy Cathy Barmanti was injured while conducting a medical transport for 24-year old felon Maurice Ainsworth. Ainsworth reportedly attacked Deputy Barmanti after the hospital visit, just before noon, while she was shackling his legs and hands. The prisoner bit her, stunned her in the head with her taser gun, punched and then kicked her prior to taking her .40-caliber handgun he used to fire at a bystander. The 5-foot-3 inches tall 12-year veteran deputy was escorting Ainsworth to Dominican Hospital for an M-R-I scan when the 6-feet-7 inches tall and 275 pound prisoner escaped. Ainsworth was captured 5 hours later at a home on English Drive in the Prospect Heights area.
