Man accused of assaulting and biting the face of store clerk found not guilty in Fall River court due to lack of criminal responsibility

A Taunton man who was charged with assaulting a store clerk and biting a clerk’s face has been found not guilty due to lack of criminal responsibility.

22-year-old Joel Davila was charged with Assault with Intent to Maim and Mayhem and was ordered held without bail in 2019.

Today in Fall River Superior Court, Davila was ordered held at Bridgewater State Hospital for evaluation, according to the clerk’s office.

According to Taunton police, at approximately 11:25 p.m. Monday, April 29, 2019, TPD responded to Sunoco, 231 Broadway, for a report of a patron that bit the face of a store clerk.

Upon arrival, officers came upon the victim, a 55-year-old Taunton man, who had a serious gash below his left eye and was bleeding profusely.

Officers quickly located Davila who was sitting on the floor in an aisle of the store. He was detained while the officers spoke to him about what happened.

In reviewing surveillance footage from the store, officers determined that the store clerk tried to prevent Davila from stealing a bottled drink from the beverage cooler. Davila was known to the clerk and had allegedly stolen from the store in the past.

When the store clerk put his arm across the cooler door to prevent Davila from opening it, Davila allegedly bit the inside of the victim’s elbow and then during a struggle, Davila bit the clerk’s face.

A witness at the store called 911 and tended to the victim while another witness prevented Davila from leaving the store.

Davila’s next court appearance is April 5th following the Bridgewater evaluation.