California police arrested a homeless man they say tried to gouge an officer's eye out, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported.
Robert Craig, 33, was standing in a roundabout in Santa Cruz at around 1:40 p.m. Wednesday when a police officer witnessed him attempt to pull a driver off his motorcycle, authorities said.
The officer tried removing Craig from the roundabout near Depot Park but the man allegedly lashed out at the cop.
"The suspect attacked the officer in a 'bear hug' and then attempted to gouge the officer's eye out," Santa Cruz Lieutenant Bernie Escalante, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
The cop tried Tasering his assailant, but the weapon didn't work and Craig ran off just as responding officers arrived at the scene at Pacific Avenue and Center Street. Officers used the Taser on Craig again before he was finally arrested several blocks away.
The cop he allegedly attacked was treated at Dominican Hospital for his injured eye. An eye specialist is to ascertain the damage, Escalante told the newspaper.
Escalante also said he believes the attack is part of a national trend of increased confrontations between police officers and civilians. The incident comes after two NYPD officers were shot and killed last month by a man who reportedly had grievances with the recent grand jury decisions not to indict two officers for killing unarmed black men.
"People, they in general are just more confrontational or seem to be more likely to interact with police with a physical interaction than before," said Escalante, who did not name any specific examples. "I don't think it has to do with Santa Cruz individually. I think it's just kind of a trend we're seeing with (police) generally."
Craig, who has a prior arrest for alleged drug possession, was treated for minor wounds at Dominican Hospital. He also had an outstanding arrest warrant for failure to appear in court, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
He was charged with felony battery on a police officer, threats on a police officer, resisting arrest and attempted mayhem.
