Toledoan accused of theft allegedly bites police officer

11/17/2001

A Toledo man accused of bilking an 87-year-old South Toledo man of more than $27,000 was arrested yesterday after he ran from police, tried to take an officer's gun, and bit the officer on the thumb, authorities said.

Domingo Fonseca, 37, of 1321 Western Ave., was being held last night in the Lucas County jail in lieu of a $27,500 bond after his arraignment in Toledo Municipal Court. He was charged with felonious assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, obstructing official business, and unrelated offenses including the theft from the elderly man.

Police officers were sent to a call about a man with a gun in the 1500 block of Western about 1 a.m. He ran from the officers after he refused their request to take his hands out of his pockets. The officers caught him in the 200 block of Gibbons Street, where he struggled with them and bit one of them, breaking the skin. He told police he was HIV-positive, had Hepatitis C, and tuberculosis, court records state.

In addition to the charges yesterday, Mr. Fonseca had a warrant charging him with theft after police said he took checks Sept. 29 from the elderly man's office in the 500 block of Madison Avenue and cashed them.