OCEAN CITY — A Pittsburgh, Pa. man faces assault and other charges this week for allegedly biting two bar employees, including one in the face, and an Ocean City police officer in the leg before being tased.
Around 2:05 a.m. last Saturday, OCPD officers were in the area of Seacrets on 49th Street to assist with the bar’s closing. The bar’s security staff was escorting out a male individual, later identified as Craig Konzier, 24, who had refused to leave. As the bar security scrapped with Konzier in an attempt to get him to leave, Konzier allegedly bit one of the security officers in the left chin area, removing a chunk of flesh from his face, according to police reports.
According to the victim, Konzier bit his face for a full 10 to 15 seconds before releasing. Konzier then allegedly bit a bar staffer employed as an EMT on the right hip. According to police reports, roughly 10 bar staffers were attempting to hold Konzier on the ground until police arrived.
OCPD officers arrived and escorted Konzier down a ramp and told him to sit on the ground near the exit ramp, but Konzier did not comply. The officer made several attempts to get Konzier to comply before eventually kicking his legs out from under him, according to police reports. Konzier continued to resist arrest, even after being taken to the ground by OCPD officers.
According to police reports, Konzier then turned his head and bit an OCPD officer in the middle of his left thigh, breaking the skin and causing the officer to bleed. The officer then struck Konzier in the head and he continued to resist arrest and fight with the OCPD. Another officer then administered a drive stun with his Taser, which had no effect. The officer deployed his Taser a second time with two probes entering Konzier’s lower back and buttocks areas and he still continued to resist. According to police, the attempt to get control of Konzier lasted about two minutes.
Konzier was ultimately subdued by multiple officers while bar patrons leaving the establishment stopped to watch the incident. One OCPD officer was taken to AGH for treatment of the bite wounds in his left thigh. The two bar security personnel were treated on the scene by EMTs.
The incident took place on Konzier’s 24th birthday. Konzier was charged with three counts of second-degree assault, second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He was released later on the same day after posting a $15,000 cash bond.