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Man allegedly threatened, pushed paramedic, damaged defibrillator

Police said the man also pushed his wife, was in possession of a stolen firearm and had a neglected puppy tied up in his truck

Lauren Cross
The Times, Munster, Ind.

SCHERERVILLE, Ind. — First, a 41-year-old man pushed and threatened to kill a paramedic who was responding to a Region medical emergency, police said.

Then, authorities found a small dog, roped up inside the suspect’s truck, covered in its own urine and feces, without food or water, according to court records.

Now Kwan Merriweather, 41, of Georgia, faces battery and animal cruelty charges in the case, court records show.

Schererville officers were dispatched at 10:19 p.m. Thursday to an apartment complex in the 8000 block of Pine Island Drive at the request of the Schererville Fire Department.

The fire department and paramedics were there for a medical call involving Merriweather’s wife, court records indicate.

Police arrived to find several firefighters attempting to calm Merriweather, charging documents state.

As Merriweather allegedly screamed profanities outside the residential buildings, an officer on scene asked that Merriweather keep his volume down.

Multiple people began to congregate outside or stare through windows, court documents state.

"(Expletive) you, racist, you just want to take me to jail,” Merriweather allegedly shouted at the officer, court records state.

Merriweather continued to scream about how department firefighters treated him wrong. He also allegedly approached the officers in an aggressive manner and then backed down, prompting police to tell him he was under arrest for disorderly conduct, court records state.

As one officer attempted to handcuff him, Merriweather turned, reached into his pocket, pulled out a cellphone and then dropped it. The officer Tazed the suspect and placed him in handcuffs, court records state.

A Schererville paramedic told police as he was assessing Merriweather’s wife — the victim on the service call — she whispered, “Help me,” to which the paramedic asked Merriweather to step outside.

That’s when Merriweather allegedly pushed the paramedic in the chest with both hands, court records state. During the scuffle, Merriweather also allegedly pushed the woman away in an attempt to separate her from the paramedics, court records state.

The paramedic also said he saw Merriweather bang on the door and repeatedly shout: “I’m going to (expletive) kill you!”

He allegedly damaged a $25,000 defibrillator, as well, court records allege.

The female victim told police Merriweather kept a weapon in his truck that he had parked at a Family Dollar store, court records state. She said she knows this because she sat on the gun when Merriweather picked her up from the hospital.

Police successfully located the truck and observed a silver firearm in plain view, records allege.

A detective said a small dog was locked up in the floorboard of the truck, roped to the door and restricted to a small area. The puppy was laying in blankets “full of urine and feces” and did not have food or water access, court records allege.

The firearm’s serial number came back as a reported stolen gun out of Merrillville, police said.

Animal control took custody of the puppy.

Merriweather faces three felony charges: battery on a public safety officer; intimidation and firearm theft. He also faces several misdemeanor charges of domestic battery, criminal mischief, resisting law enforcement, animal cruelty and disorderly conduct, court records show.

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©2020 The Times (Munster, Ind.)

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