Teen faces felony for spitting at cop

Published 3:23 pm Friday, June 10, 2011

A 19-year-old Austin man faces a felony charge after allegedly shoving, threatening and spitting at a Mower County deputy, for which he was Tasered twice and squirted with pepper spray.

Kyler Michael Inez Morehouse was charged Tuesday in Mower County District Court with felony fourth-degree assault of a peace officer and three misdemeanors.

On June 4 at around 1 a.m., Mower County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a fight at an underage drinking party on 235th St., less than a mile east of Todd Park in Austin. When officers got there, they saw several people running into surrounding fields. According to a court complaint, officers then rounded up about 20 people who were under 21, and saw Morehouse — who appeared drunk — lying on the ground shirtless, with cuts and blood on his back, chest and face.

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According to the complaint, the deputies called him over and he cursed at them and began walking away. One deputy grabbed him by the arm, and Morehouse allegedly cursed at him again and shoved him. Morehouse then reportedly pulled away and swung at the officer, and a second officer Tasered Morehouse in the back.

Deputies then tried to arrest him, and he started flailing his arms and legs, so he was Tasered again and handcuffed.

Once in a squad car, the complaint says, Morehouse slipped his handcuffs to the front of his body, and began kicking the windows and punching the partition. Deputies warned him to stop, and after he didn’t, a deputy squirted him with pepper spray. Morehouse then reportedly threatened the deputy and began spitting at him.

Morehouse was taken to the Mower County jail and later released. He will enter his plea June 16.