Terminal Tower

A 36-year-old Cleveland man is accused of biting off part of another man's ear early Friday inside Tower City in a dispute over 50 cents.

(Tracy Boulian)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A man bit off part of another man's ear Friday in a dispute in Tower City that started over 50 cents.

Darryl Young Jr., 36, is charged with felonious assault after police said he attacked a 37-year-old man who denied Young's request for change.

The victim also told officers that Young robbed him of a 14-carat gold chain, Android cell phone, 38 Percocet pills and a corned beef sandwich, according to the report. Prosecutors have not charged Young with theft, though a Cuyahoga County grand jury could add more charges later.

A Cleveland police officer noticed two men about 1:25 a.m. Friday walking into Tower City. The officer told security guards to keep an eye on the two men, according to the arrest report.

An off-duty officer working security watched the men walk into building, but they were not arguing. About 30 seconds later, the men got into a fight near an escalator.

Police separated the men, and noticed one man's left eye was bleeding. The bleeding man told police he walked down the hall in the mall and Young asked for 50 cents. Young attacked him after he denied the request. Young punched him in the face, according to a police report.

Police noticed part of the man's ear was gone as he told his side of the story.

Young was arrested and paramedics bandaged the victim's wounds. The man told police he did not know Young.

Young was charged Sunday morning with felonious assault. He is being held on $20,000 bond, according to Cleveland Municipal Court records. A second hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2.