Man who bit police officer will be in prison until October

YOUNGSTOWN — A man who pleaded guilty Monday in Mahoning County Common to biting a city police officer during a traffic stop will be in prison until at least October.

William Sullivan, 27, was sentenced by Judge John Durkin after pleading guilty to charges of felonious assault and assault on a police officer just before jurors were to be summoned to the courtroom to be selected for his trial.

Prosecutors and defense attorney Walter Madison recommended a sentence of two years for Sullivan, and prosecutors said they would not oppose judicial release after Oct. 1, 2018.

Sullivan was arrested May 22 after police tried to arrest him during a traffic stop when they found drugs in a car he was in. Reports said he bit an officer in the tricep before he was taken under control.

At the time Sullivan was on probation for a similar in June 2016, when he ran from police following another traffic stop. He will be sentenced Jan. 8 on a probation violation stemming from that case.