Police Arrest Suspect For Allegedly Biting, Head-Butting 2 Philly Cops
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--Two Philadelphia police officers are recovering after being bitten by a man they were taking into custody in Kensington early Wednesday morning. Later that evening, Philadelphia Police identified the suspect as 32-year-old Cesar Ortega.
The two officers, a male and a female officer, were both in uniform when they were attacked. They are expected to be okay, but they were taken to Aria-Frankford Hospital to be checked out.
The officers were on routine patrol near the intersection of K and Venango Streets around 1:30 a.m. They saw a man who looked like he was breaking into a Honda parked outside of a garage on the 1200 block of Atlantic Street.
Police say Ortega was already in the car when the officers approached.
Chief Inspector Scott Small said the man started punching, kicking and head-butting the officers when they tried to take him into custody. He then managed to bite both officers in the hand and arm, breaking skin and drawing blood.
"Anytime someone is bit, a human bite, it is really potentially very dangerous, so it has to be thoroughly, thoroughly cleaned," Small said. "This particular 32-year-old suspect, who was arrested, is well known to police in the area for not only selling drugs, but also doing drugs."
Despite their injuries, the officers were still able to arrest Ortega.
He's facing charges of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, resisting arrest and charges.
