Advocacy & Safety - Driver bites off cyclist's ear

Newcastle Resident accused of biting off man's ear (http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20090403/NEWS01/904030310/1002)

NEW CASTLE -- An argument between two New Castle men ended in a grisly fashion Wednesday when one bit the other's left ear off, police say.

Curtis A. "Alan" Cross, 43, was charged Thursday with battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Class C felony carrying a standard four-year prison term. He was being held in the Henry County jail under a $3,250 bond.

Cross's alleged victim, Jeffrey H. Guffey, 31, told city police he was riding a bicycle in the 800 block of North 20th Street about 5 p.m. when he shouted at the driver of a sport-utility vehicle that passed him at a high rate of speed.

Guffey told police he shouted, "Slow down, there are kids out there!"

The SUV driver -- later identified as Cross -- pulled to the side of the street and got out of his vehicle, telling Guffey he "wasn't going to talk to him like that," according to a police report.

Guffey said he told the driver, "I'm just asking you to slow down. I don't want trouble, but there are kids out."

The man hit Guffey in the face, then "took him to the ground, where he struck him some more with his hands, then bit off his ear," city patrolman M. Chase Hightower reported.

"Guffey stated the man then got up and spit his ear out at him," Hightower wrote.

The man then drove away in the SUV.

Guffey -- later treated at Henry County Memorial Hospital -- told police he had never seen his attacker before, but believed him to be "nuts."

Contacted Thursday morning, New Castle Police Chief James Nicholson said crime scene photos reflected "a good chunk" of Guffey's left ear had been torn off.

Authorities said they were uncertain whether efforts had been made to surgically reattach the severed portion of the ear.

Local court records reflect no prior felony convictions for Cross, of 1306 S. 17th St.

a Class C felony carrying a standard four-year prison term

Looks like he won't be driving for a while. That's good.

Scary that there are people out there wandering around looking for a place to blow up like that.

Am I surprised to hear that the guy was driving an SUV?

I'm not usually surprised when I hear most of these motorist-cyclist clash stories, but this one takes the cake for pure bizarreness.

-Kurt

If the cyclist knew Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he'd still have his ear.

If the cyclist had been wearing a full-face helmet, he'd still have his ear.

If the cyclist knew Krav he'd have bitten first.

If the cyclist wasn't on a fixie he could have outrun him.

If the cyclist wasn't on a fixie he could have outrun him.

Lol, you win!

If the cyclist was Mike Tyson they'd both have an ear bitten off ...

(Actually, I'm guessing that Mike Tyson is still enough of a bad-ass (at least compared to your average SUV driver) that he'd have done all the ear biting.)

If a motorist turns around after I yell something at him, I'm already dialing 911 because I get the phone out when I see brake lights.

If the cyclist had been wearing a full-face helmet, he'd still have his ear.

Crazies everywhere...Even a bike helmet would have likely helped.. Makes the ear a little inacessible.. if not; you'll find a helmet head butt to be more effective..

Guffey -- later treated at Henry County Memorial Hospital -- told police he had never seen his attacker before, but believed him to be "nuts."


Whoa, let's not be hasty. At worst, this man is "wacky" or maybe "crackers".

I hope the driver has had his rabies vaccines (Someone had to say it! :p), otherwise the poor cyclist may be in for some painful treatments.

I really hate seeing stuff like this. It makes me wonder about the sanity of the people in the autos I share the road with.

The real discussion should be - "Would you give up part of your ear to put a major road rager in jail for 4+ years?" Oh so very very very tempting it is! You could even write the perp letters about how wonderful the freedom he isn't enjoying is every day. You could wave at his family in the grocery store. "How's Curt enjoying his three squares a day and chain-link exersize pen?" Every breath of fresh air you could remember how your new friend only gets breaths of stale urine, feces and vomit. You can shower without fear of dropping your soap...

*ouch

that's not something you hear everyday

"How's Curt enjoying...

Was that supposed to be a snide remark?

-Kurt

If a motorist turns around after I yell something at him, I'm already dialing 911 because I get the phone out when I see brake lights.

If a motorist turns around after I yell at him. I'm unstrapping the 44mag I ride with. Dialing 911 will get the police there in 28minutes instead of 31minutes. Takes 3minute prep time for police to get their chalk and spray paint organized before they arrive at the scene of the already commited crime.

I only had 1 car turn around at me after 4 highschool kids in a mustang yelled something at me. I flicked them off so they turned around. 3 guys and 1 girl. Guess they wanted to show off for the girl. They didn't seem so tough when they saw a 230lb man in tights with a shiny pistol on his side. And they didn't seem tough at all when I sprayed mace in their car as they sped off. Oops.

Now when I see them leaving the highschool they give me all kinds of room.

If a motorist turns around after I yell at him. I'm unstrapping the 44mag I ride with.

You know, you'll shave at least 100g if you switch to a .38....oh wait, this isn't the road forum. Sorry..carry on.

If a motorist turns around after I yell something at him, I'm already dialing 911 because I get the phone out when I see brake lights.

Sissy!

If I yell at someone, I'm gonna man-up when he stops and comes back for a piece. Either do that or shut up.

Great, more psychos in Indiana...:innocent:

If it was down south by me, he'd have had his Pit with him too...:notamused:

You know, you'll shave at least 100g if you switch to a .38....oh wait, this isn't the road forum. Sorry..carry on.

I balance it out by riding naked and clipping toe nails. I also file the nails down for aerodynamics.

Also when I'm coming to the finish line and need an extra boost I just face the gun backwards and fire.

Great, more psychos in Indiana...:innocent:

If it was down south by me, he'd have had his Pit with him too...:notamused:

Living in Indiana makes us psycho's?:twitchy: They've only killed a half dozen cyclist up here in the last year, getting your ear gnawed off seems like getting off light.:notamused:

Technically any one South of US 30 is a Kentuckian in my book :rolleyes:

Newcastle Resident accused of biting off man's ear (http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20090403/NEWS01/904030310/1002)

NEW CASTLE -- An argument between two New Castle men ended in a grisly fashion Wednesday when one bit the other's left ear off, police say.

Curtis A. "Alan" Cross, 43, was charged Thursday with battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Class C felony carrying a standard four-year prison term. He was being held in the Henry County jail under a $3,250 bond.

Cross's alleged victim, Jeffrey H. Guffey, 31, told city police he was riding a bicycle in the 800 block of North 20th Street about 5 p.m. when he shouted at the driver of a sport-utility vehicle that passed him at a high rate of speed.

Guffey told police he shouted, "Slow down, there are kids out there!"

The SUV driver -- later identified as Cross -- pulled to the side of the street and got out of his vehicle, telling Guffey he "wasn't going to talk to him like that," according to a police report.

Guffey said he told the driver, "I'm just asking you to slow down. I don't want trouble, but there are kids out."

The man hit Guffey in the face, then "took him to the ground, where he struck him some more with his hands, then bit off his ear," city patrolman M. Chase Hightower reported.

"Guffey stated the man then got up and spit his ear out at him," Hightower wrote.

The man then drove away in the SUV.

Guffey -- later treated at Henry County Memorial Hospital -- told police he had never seen his attacker before, but believed him to be "nuts."

Contacted Thursday morning, New Castle Police Chief James Nicholson said crime scene photos reflected "a good chunk" of Guffey's left ear had been torn off.

Authorities said they were uncertain whether efforts had been made to surgically reattach the severed portion of the ear.

Local court records reflect no prior felony convictions for Cross, of 1306 S. 17th St.

I wonder if the 'biter', picked that up from Mike Tyson.

If a motorist turns around after I yell at him. I'm unstrapping the 44mag I ride with. Dialing 911 will get the police there in 28minutes instead of 31minutes. Takes 3minute prep time for police to get their chalk and spray paint organized before they arrive at the scene of the already commited crime. And this is why I moved out of ATL. Never been heckled so much in my life. Never thought any physical threat would happen to me though, as most of the hecklers just said things with impossible to follow logic or questioned my sexuality.

Well, that does it! One more reason not to like SUV's.

Not to worry, gas prices will go up again and SUV's will disappear as will ear-biting SUV drivers.

And this is why I moved out of ATL. Never been heckled so much in my life. Never thought any physical threat would happen to me though, as most of the hecklers just said things with impossible to follow logic or questioned my sexuality.

I found Atlanta (ITP) isn't so bad and way out in the country towards the Athens/Madison area isn't so bad either. Especially in the far out country. I had an old farmer wave me down one time and asked me about my bike and found it interesting. He had some very cool WWII stories being he was on a B17 bomber.

It's that middle ground that sucks. Where I live which is halfway between Atlanta and Athens the only thing that matters to people around here is UGA football and hunting. Anything else is just a waste of money and time. "By gawd, if I'm spending $900 on a bicycle it better have a motor". Yet they pay $200 a ticket to ONE college football game.

Was that supposed to be a snide remark?

-Kurt

No, I think it's because the motorist who was charged is named 'Curtis'.

East Hill