A freshman bit a University Police officer on the Mount Vernon Campus last week.

UPD Chief Dolores Stafford said officers stopped the student for public intoxication at 2:20 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. He was not wearing any shoes, and his clothes were disheveled, she said.

The Metropolitan Police Department report said the student, Nathan Hojnacki, was acting disorderly when approached by officers and refused to give identification or information. After being confronted, the student then fell to the ground.

While officers were attempting to carry Hojnacki to the Mount Vernon security station, he pulled a UPD officer’s arm toward his mouth and bit the officer’s pinky finger, according to the report. He was then arrested and taken to the MPD Second District Station to be processed and jailed, according to MPD’s arrest log.

Hojnacki has not returned several phone calls and e-mails from The Hatchet asking for comment.

Stafford has previously told The Hatchet that being arrested for assaulting an officer carries a higher sentence than a simple assault charge.

“Every year we have a couple of cases where a student decides to physically assault one of our officers,” Stafford said. “I would take this opportunity to advise students that should they assault an officer, it will result in the student being arrested.”

The student was released from lock-up pending a preliminary hearing Dec. 20 before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Carroll Wingo. A magistrate judge usually performs case preparation and makes minor decisions so judges can handle more trials.

-Kaitlyn Jahrling