Police scuffle with drug suspect; No bail for Santa Maria.

• Author: Murray, Gary V.
• Position: Local

Byline: Gary V. Murray

WORCESTER-- A Worcester man arrested Tuesday on drug, assault and civil rights violation charges has been ordered held without bail pending a Jan. 31 dangerousness hearing in Central District Court.

David Santa Maria, 45, of 1132 West Boylston St. was arrested shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday after vice squad officers doing surveillance in the parking lot of the Honey Farms convenience store at 353 Grafton St. saw what they believed was a drug transaction between him and another man.

Police said a man driving a pickup truck entered the parking lot, and moments later, an SUV pulled up alongside the truck. The driver of the SUV, later identified as Mr. Santa Maria, got out of his vehicle and entered the passenger side of the pickup, according to police.

Officers said they approached the truck after seeing a drug transaction. The driver of the truck, identified as Darron Andrews, 30, of 29 Laurel St., Apt. 7, was in possession of 11 packets of heroin and crack cocaine and Suboxone, according to police.

While officers were arresting Mr. Andrews, Mr. Santa Maria allegedly grabbed one of them by the arm and began to attack him. Police said Mr. Santa Maria kicked the officers into another vehicle in the lot, damaging it.

Two officers struggled with Mr. Santa Maria while trying to arrest him, according to police, who said Mr. Santa Maria spit blood in the face and on the clothing of one of the officers. While later being treated by emergency medical personnel, the injured Mr. Santa Maria allegedly referred to one of the officers, who is black, as a "gorilla,'' Assistant District Attorney Marc Dupuis told Judge Jennifer A. Stark during Mr. Santa Maria's arraignment.

Police said Mr. Santa Maria was found to be in possession of oxycodone and marijuana.

He was arraigned on charges of possessing oxycodone with intent to distribute, a drug violation near a school or park, resisting arrest, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (blood), assault and battery on a police officer, a civil rights violation, marijuana possession and two counts of vandalizing property.

Mr. Santa Maria is also awaiting trial in Worcester Superior Court on assault charges stemming from an alleged 2011 beating at his father's place of business, Pat's Service Center and Towing on Shrewsbury Street. He posted $10,000 cash bail in the Worcester Superior Court...