Nose, Finger Badly Bitten In Attempt To Halt Fracas

A Spokane man who tried to break up a fight nearly lost his nose and part of a finger when one of the brawlers turned on him and started biting, sheriff’s deputies said.

The incident occurred about 1 a.m. Thursday at the Peking Palace Restaurant, 11110 E. Sprague.

The victim, 34, told deputies he and his girlfriend were inside the restaurant lounge with several friends when they saw a large man pick a fight with another customer.

The alleged instigator, later identified as Gerald Roy Bylund, 37, stood up and punched the other customer in the face, deputies said.

The biting victim told detectives he ran over and tackled Bylund, who was described as 6 feet 8 inches tall and 300 pounds.

As the two men struggled on the floor, Bylund chomped down on the tackler’s nose and didn’t let go, deputies said.

When the man eventually tore his face loose, Bylund grabbed his hand and bit down on it, nearly severing part of a finger, sheriff’s Lt. David Wiyrick said.

Bar customers finally broke up the melee, and Bylund left, deputies said.

The biting victim was taken to a hospital for treatment.

A deputy who interviewed the victim at the hospital noted a ring of teeth marks around the man’s nose, which was purple, Wiyrick said.

Detectives later arrested Bylund at his home on South University in the Valley.

Bylund, who has a history of convictions dating back to 1978 for charges including assault and reckless endangerment, was booked into jail on a charge of second-degree assault.

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