TSA Employee Attacked Gift Shop Worker, Police Say

Man Arrested On Battery Charge

12:53 PM, Feb 16, 2011
An Indianapolis Transportation Security Administration employee was arrested on a battery charge after scuffling with a gift shop employee at Indianapolis International Airport's parking garage on Tuesday.

Airport police were called to the fourth floor of the parking garage at about 7:30 a.m., encountering a man who claimed he was punched repeatedly after pulling into a parking space.

According to a police report, Brian Hale, 39, claimed he immediately saw a pickup truck parked behind his car, blocking it in, after he parked.

Hale told officers that the TSA employee, later identified as Michael Merriman, 59, of Mooresville, approached the driver's side door of his car, shook an angry fist at him and said, "You'll never do that to me again."

Merriman and Hale were then involved in a fistfight, police said.

"Mr. Hale was put in a headlock and punched approximately six times in the face," the police report read. "Mr. Hale was able to press the panic button on his car's remote key fob, which he feels caused Mr. Merriman to stop the attack and run back to his truck."

Hale then called 911 to report the altercation. Another airport employee said she witnessed the event and corroborated parts of Hale's story.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the fracas in the first place.

Merriman was taken to the Marion County Jail.