Cathy Kelly<\/p>\n
Santa Cruz Sentinel: \u00a0 08\/05\/2012<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Nicholas O’Donnell was arrested about 9 a.m. near Beach Street and Pacific Avenue, Lt. Bernie Escalante said.<\/p>\n
When an officer contacted O’Donnell about smoking, the officer noticed that O’Donnell had slurred speech and other signs of intoxication, Escalante said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
O’Donnell was booked on suspicion of public intoxication, resisting arrest and battering a peace officer, Escalante said.<\/p>\n
It is his ninth arrest for public intoxication since March, Escalante said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cathy Kelly Santa Cruz Sentinel: \u00a0 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 … Continue reading