Man bites off deputy's ear in fight, say L.A. County cops
(CBS LOS ANGELES/AP) PALMDALE, Calif. - A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and mayhem after biting off part of a deputy's ear and trying to take his gun during an altercation, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says.
CBS Los Angeles says a deputy stopped Miguel Delacruz, 41, while he was walking on Palmdale Boulevard around 3:45 a.m. Monday.
The deputy initially saw the suspect walking in the middle of the street, determined he was on probation and possibly on drugs, and decided to walk him back to his patrol car.
According to CBS Los Angeles, the suspect began to struggle with the deputy, wrapped him in a bear hug and then bit off part of his ear, and also tried to snatch the deputy's gun during the fight.
"Although in pain from the loss of a significant portion of his ear," the sheriff's department said in a statement, "the deputy was able to retain his gun."Backup arrived, and he was subdued. Delacruz was already on probation for kidnapping, and was arrested at the scene.
Doctors were unable to reattach the deputy's ear because of an infection risk, Sheriff's detective Mike Baker said.