Syracuse, NY -- Roommates sometimes fight. Other times, they share things from deep within themselves.

James V. Palmieri did both one day in March, according to Syracuse police.

Palmieri, 59, was suffering from severe diarrhea March 10 in the apartment he shared at 473 Pleasantview Ave. with David Utt, 62, according to a Syracuse police report.

"I asked him to use the bathroom fan so that it wouldn't smell up the house," Utt said in a written statement. The request upset Palmieri.

"Thanks for the sympathy," Palmieri said, according to Utt.

"It's common courtesy," Utt replied.

Palmieri then vowed to "crap all over the house, the bathroom and my car," Utt told police.

Palmieri got into his pajama bottoms, then went outside, Utt told police. Utt was suspicious because Palmieri doesn't smoke.

During the night, Utt discovered Palmieri had defecated "all over the floor in the bathroom and in the hallway near the bathroom," Utt's statement said.

"He clearly did this deliberately," Utt said.

The next morning, Utt opened the door to his 1997 Lincoln and saw "that Palmieri had, in fact, defecated over the back seat of his car, on the leather seats," a police report said.

Utt had to drive the feces-laden car because he had to get to a doctor's appointment that morning, he said. When he got home, he gave Palmieiri five minutes to start cleaning it all up.

"How does it feel to be (expletive) on?" Palmieri asked, Utt told police. Then Palmieri punched him in the face, Utt said.

Utt told police he doesn't know how much it will cost him to have the car professionally cleaned, the report said.

Palmieri told police in a phone interview that he didn't want to give his version of the story or return to the scene, "adding that he has diarrhea," said the report written by Officer Shawn Prue.

Palmieri was charged with second-degree harassment and fourth-degree criminal mischief. The charges are pending before Syracuse City Court Judge James Cecile.

Palmieri did not return a phone message left at his new address in Mattydale. Utt also could not be reached for comment.

Here's how the fight was described in a Syracuse police report: "The argument ensued after Mr. Utt told Mr. Palmieri to use the bathroom fan so as to prevent the defecating odor from consuming the interior of the apartment they shared."

Contact John O'Brien at jobrien@syracuse.com or 315-470-2187.

Syracuse police report

Roommate's Police Statement