Man charged with four felonies for allegedly fighting, injuring police

KEALAKEKUA — A man who allegedly bit a police officer, damaged a police car and challenged police to one-on-one fights on Saturday night is headed to Circuit Court after a hearing Wednesday.

Marcus Odell Paishon, 24, of Kailua-Kona, is charged with first-degree assault of a police officer, first-degree terroristic threatening, fourth-degree criminal property damage, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police say he’s also the reason an officer suffered a broken hand, as it was his head the officer struck after Paishon reportedly bit the policeman on the leg.

Paishon’s case will before 3rd Circuit Court Judge Melvin Fujino on March 24 after Kona District Court Judge Margaret Masunaga found probable cause for all counts.

During Wednesday’s preliminary hearing, officers described a chaotic confrontation that continued at multiple sites before it was resolved.

Officers reported they responded to a disturbance at Ocean’s Sports Bar and Grill. When officers arrived, they discovered a affray involving six people and Paishon yelling from inside the bar.

Officer Erich Jackson, acting sergeant, responded to the scene and saw Paishon “calling people out from inside the bar.” He went inside and put Paishon’s arm behind his back and lead him out, intending to release him once they got away from the bar.

Outside, Officer Brian Beckwith saw Paishon turn toward Jackson. Beckwith moved forward, he said, grabbing Paishon’s free arm and both officers took the man to the ground, where he was handcuffed. They escorted Paishon to a police car where they struggled to get him inside the back.

Paishon was fighting and kicking, police said, and for a time locked his feet on the Ford Explorer’s frame so they couldn’t get him inside. Paishon, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall, was tall enough that it was impossible to close the doors while he was resisting. Officers finally got him inside while he was shouting at them and saying he could fight them one-on-one.

Jackson, who has known Paishon for years, managed to have some success by saying, “Marcus, it’s Jackson. Please just sit up in the car.”

That worked for a time, but Paishon began kicking inside the vehicle as Jackson began to drive back to the station, he said.

He also fought with officers when they tried to transfer him to a cell while continuing to yell. During the transfer, Jackson said that Paishon, who lives near him and he’s known for years, made a very specific threat.

“He said he’d come to my house and burn my house down,” Jackson said.

During the hearing, public defender Anthony Kennedy questioned if there was a realistic risk of a man in custody and surrounded by police being a threat.

“I don’t take lightly when people threaten my family, sir,” Jackson told the attorney, adding he believes there’s a “probability” that Paishon may follow through on his threat.

Eventually, officers got Paishon inside the cell, where he was examined for a laceration to his forehead and nose. After a period of time, Paishon produced a key, which he tried to use to open the lock. Officers asked him to turn the key over, which he refused to do. After four minutes of asking, officers went inside the cell, they said.

Paishon continued to verbally insult the officers. Eventually, six officers entered the cell, but not before Paishon tried to prevent them from opening the door by bracing against it. Jackson testified the officers managed to open the door, causing Paishon to fall on his back.

The officers took control of his body and began to search. Officer Ansel Robinson testified he removed the key and the small plastic zip bag stuck to it from a right inside pocket.

As Robinson was handing the items out of the cell, Officer Brian Beckwith stood near Paishon’s head. Beckwith said he saw Paishon make “biting motions” toward his leg.

“Don’t bite me,” he recounted saying.

But Paishon did get his teeth on the officer’s shin, and Beckwith struck him with what was described as a “distracting blow.”

Under questioning by Kennedy, Beckwith explained that this strike is different from a punch in that it’s done with less force and no desire to cause injury. Instead, it’s intended to force someone to stop what they are doing.

Beckwith said he avoided Paishon’s temple or face to limit the amount of damage done. But shortly thereafter, his hand felt odd, he said. With the item retrieved, the officers left the cell.

“I thought he was trying to bite me. I didn’t want him to bite me,” Beckwith said about why he struck Paishon.

The bag had some crystalline residue inside it, Robinson said, and a field test indicated it was amphetamine.

Later, Beckwith discovered he broke the fifth metacarpal in his right hand, which is the bone between the pinky finger and the wrist.