Joel Davila, 19, of Taunton is facing multiple charges, including mayhem and assault with intent to maim, after he allegedly assaulted the gas station store clerk Monday night, Taunton police said in a statement.

Taunton police arrested a man Tuesday morning after he allegedly bit the face and elbow of a store clerk who was trying to prevent him from stealing a drink Monday night.

Joel Davila, 19, of Taunton was arrested and charged in the assault of a store clerk in Taunton Monday night.

“The actions of the suspect represent an attack of an innocent worker just doing his job and trying to prevent the theft of merchandise from his place of employment,” Taunton Police Chief Edward Walsh said in the statement.


Police said they went to the Sunoco gas station at 231 Broadway in Taunton at 11:25 p.m. Monday after they received a report that the store clerk had been bitten and found the unnamed 55-year-old Taunton victim bleeding profusely with a serious gash below his left eye.

The clerk was taken to a Boston hospital with serious injuries, police said.

Davila was found at the scene sitting in an aisle of the store and was later taken to a local hospital for overnight evaluation, police said.

Surveillance footage showed the clerk put his arm across the beverage cooler door to allegedly prevent Davila, who had allegedly stolen from the store before, from stealing a bottled drink, police said. This was when, police said, Davila bit the inside of the clerk’s elbow and later struggled with him, resulting in Davila biting the clerk’s face.

One witness to the attack called 911 and helped assist the victim, police said, while another prevented Davila from leaving the store.

“I would like to commend the good Samaritans who were in the store at the time and helped the victim while preventing this dangerous suspect from escaping and possibly harming others,” Walsh said.


Davila was arrested Tuesday morning when he was released from the hospital, police said.

At his arraignment Tuesday in Taunton District Court, Davila was ordered held, pending a dangerousness hearing on May 17, the Bristol district attorney’s office said.

Breanne Kovatch can be reached at breanne.kovatch@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @breannekovatch.