Deputy injured making arrest

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A deputy from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office was injured in a scuffle, sustaining a large cut to his neck, when trying to arrest 41-year-old Chad Lee Merriman, of Norfork, early Tuesday morning.
According to Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, the deputy is expected to recover. He was treated for his injuries and released. Merriman is being held in the Baxter County Jail on a $25,000 bond on multiple felony charges.

Montgomery says Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on Major Street at approximately 2:39 Tuesday morning after being notified of an open line 911 call from there. Previous calls from the address indicated Merriman was either at the home or trying to make entry. He has an order of protection saying he’s not allowed to be there and had warrants out for his arrest for violating the order, as well as fleeing, several times.When deputies arrived they found Merriman asleep. When they woke him up to place him under arrest he refused to comply. The Deputies deployed pepper spray in an effort to take him into custody. During the   struggle he grabbed the duty belt of one of the officers.

Merriman was eventually taken into custody and found to have seven syringes with a spoon containing suspected methamphetamine residue.

He is being held in the detention center on felony charges of battery in the second degree, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. He also faces numerous misdemeanor charges. He is expected to appear in Circuit Court to answer to the charges and in District Court later on the outstanding misdemeanor warrants. Records indicate Merriman has been booked into the Baxter County Jail a total of 19 times since 1996 on various charges.

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