Cathy Kelly

Santa Cruz Sentinel:   08/05/2012

A 42-year-old transient was arrested Saturday morning after he became belligerent with a police officer who contacted him for smoking in a non-smoking area near the wharf and then slugged the officer, police said.

Nicholas O’Donnell was arrested about 9 a.m. near Beach Street and Pacific Avenue, Lt. Bernie Escalante said.

When an officer contacted O’Donnell about smoking, the officer noticed that O’Donnell had slurred speech and other signs of intoxication, Escalante said.

O’Donnell became verbally abusive and told the officer he had better call for back-up and then punched him in the face, Escalante said.

O’Donnell was booked on suspicion of public intoxication, resisting arrest and battering a peace officer, Escalante said.

It is his ninth arrest for public intoxication since March, Escalante said.