Taser Used During Arrest Of Combative Subject

On June 27th, ranger David Sullivan received a report of a seriously drunken camper in the Buffalo Point campground from supervisory visitor use assistant Katishia Gibbs. Gibbs advised that Nicholas Meziere was intoxicated and had passed out in a tent belonging to other campers, but not before he’d urinated and vomited all over the tent floor and their sleeping bags and mattresses. Their experience with Meziere was so unpleasant that they packed up and left the park a day earlier than they’d originally planned. Sullivan attempted to arrest Meziere, but he fled on foot. Sullivan pursued and attempted to use his taser on Meziere as he was running between two vehicles, but the taser’s prongs missed him. Sullivan continued to chase Meziere until he tripped and fell over a four-foot embankment. Sullivan reloaded his taser and ordered Meziere to cooperate or he would be tased. After a brief struggle, Sullivan was able to get Meziere handcuffed.  The three other rangers, including a field trainee, who were on duty at the time were 25 minutes away at Marion County jail processing two DUI suspects. Once in custody, Meziere berated Sullivan with a barrage of vulgar language, continued to resist, accosted nearby campers with extremely vulgar language, and attempted to escape a marked patrol vehicle.  Meziere was transported to the Marion County jail and charged with interfering, disorderly conduct, being under the influence of alcohol, and underage possession of alcohol.