A 26-year-old West Hollywood man was arrested on Santa Monica Beach on Saturday, July 20 after being aggressive towards other people then biting a lifeguard.

At 2 pm officers of the Santa Monica Police Department responded to the 1500 block of the beach after they had received a request to help lifeguards who were restraining a man who had been displaying erratic behavior.

As the officers approached the scene they were advised that the lifeguards had the man under control and in handcuffs.

When the officers arrived they spoke to the lifeguards about what had happened.

Apparently this man had been behaving strangely and disturbing visitors to the beach.

They said that after his behavior became more and more erratic and aggressive they became concerned that he might attack someone so they intervened.

During the struggle that had ensued after they approached this man the suspect bit one of the lifeguards on the right shoulder.

Based on the statements by the lifeguards this man was arrested and later charged with battery on a lifeguard resulting in injury.

Bail was set at $20,000.

Editor’s Note: These reports are part of a regular police coverage series entitled “Alert Police Blotter” (APB), which injects some minor editorial into certain police activities in Santa Monica. Not all of The Mirror’s coverage of incidents involving police are portrayed in this manner. More serious crimes and police-related activities are regularly reported without editorial in the pages of the Santa Monica Mirror and its website, smmirror.com.