He bit off a man’s ear, spit it out in fight over pot, cops say. It was Christmas Eve

When police in Ukiah, California, arrived at a home in response to reports of a Christmas Eve disturbance, all was most definitely not “merry and bright.”

Officers encountered a 35-year-old man with blood streaming down his face – and a missing ear, according to a Ukiah Police Department release. Samuel Paul Galindo, 40, had been drinking with the man, a relative, when a dispute erupted over a “marijuana product” about 5:50 p.m. Sunday, police said.

Galindo became enraged and “forced the victim to the ground and began shoving his fingers into the victim’s eyes,” police said. During the fight, Galindo told the man he intended to kill him, then bit off part of his ear and spit it out.

The man struggled free and locked himself in a vehicle while Galindo chased him with a “cylindrical object,” police said. Galindo pounded on the windows while still threatening to kill the man.

Police arrested Galindo without incident on suspicion of mayhem, assault with a dangerous weapon, criminal threats and violating parole.

An ambulance took the injured relative to a hospital, where he was treated and released, reported The Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

This story was originally published December 27, 2017 at 12:32 PM with the headline "He bit off a man’s ear, spit it out in fight over pot, cops say. It was Christmas Eve."