Reality star and prolific Twitterer Tila Tequila, 27, was involved an altercation with what some outlets are reporting was/is her boyfriend, San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, 25, late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. Tila was at a club in San Diego Saturday night partying with Merriman. There are photos of Tila dancing seductively on Merriman’s lap at the club, and TMZ reports that she “was seen giving Shawne lap dances all night long.” Tila went back to Shawne’s place and ended up calling the cops early in the morning, saying that he had choked her and was restraining her to keep her from leaving. She then signed a citizen’s arrest warrant that charged Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (I thought people only did citizen’s arrests when the cops weren’t around, but apparently they can do this in CA if they’re a witness to a felony. It varies by state. Here is Wikipedia’s explanation of a citizen’s arrest.) Tila also went to the hospital at her own request and was treated and released. Merriman was arrest and placed in jail at 8:30 am, where he was held until 11:00 am. He claims through a lawyer that he didn’t choke Tila and was just trying to help her get home safely. Merriman’s side of the story is that Tila was really drunk and he was just trying to secure alternate transportaion for her so she wouldn’t drive home in that condition.
San Diego Chargers star outside linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested Sunday and accused of choking and restraining his girlfriend, reality TV star Tila Tequila, as she tried to leave his suburban home.
Sheriff’s deputies got the call at 3:45 a.m. on Sunday from a woman who claimed to have been choked and thrown to the ground by the player at his home on Sagecrest Drive in Poway.
“Nguyen told deputies she had been choked and physically restrained by Merriman when she attempted to leave his residence,” San Diego County Sheriff’s spokesperson Jan Caldwell said.
Tequila, 27, signed a citizen’s arrest warrant, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment, San Diego County Sheriff’s Lt. Gary Steadman said.
Merriman, 25, was taken into custody and booked into the central jail at about 8:30 a.m. He was released shortly after 11 a.m. Caldwell said she didn’t know if he posted bail or was released on his own recognizance.
The linebacker’s lawyer talked briefly with reporters outside the San Diego County Jail downtown Sunday. He denied the allegations and claimed that Merriman and Nguyen were at a party at his Poway home with at least 14 other people.
“During the evening Ms. Tequila was extremely intoxicated, inebriated and Mr. Merriman did everything he could to assist her in arranging for transportation to leave his home. At no time did Mr. Merriman assault her; at no time did Mr. Merriman keep her against her will. His intentions were nothing but good,” Merriman’s attorney Todd Macaluso said.
Tequila requested an ambulance and was transported to Pomerado Hospital. She has since been released.
Caldwell said Sunday that deputies confirmed that Tequila had been drinking.
Tequila, whose real name is Tila Nguyen, is best known for “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila,” which ran for two seasons on MTV. The bisexual dating show featured men and women vying for Tequila’s affections. She has also modeled for Playboy and other men’s magazines.
Scott E. Leemon, an attorney for Tequila, said in a statement that neither she nor her representatives would comment publicly on the incident.
[From NBC San Diego via WeSmirch]
Note in that source article, above, that Tila’s lawyer says neither his client nor he would be publicly commenting. Of course Tila had to say something about it on Twitter, though, and she defends herself by citing her height/weight/belief in God. I’m not saying she’s not telling the truth, it’s hard to tell at this point, but she’s certainly not keeping quiet about it as her lawyer said she would. Tila’s tweets are technically “protected,” but she has nearly a quarter of a million followers and it’s easy to find her status updates on outside websites like CelebrityTweet.com. Here’s what she said about the incident. (These tweets are in order from oldest to newest so that they make more sense. I find it hard to read tweets in the regular backwards order.)
Tila Tequila
I have just gotten back home safely to Los Angeles. Thank you for all of your love and prayers, and I appreciate everyone’s support….
Updated about 10 hours ago
I am allergic to alcohol. It has been publicly known for years. That is how I got the name Tila “Tequila” cuz the irony. I cant drink.
Updated about 9 hours ago
I am only 93 pounds and 4’ft 11……
Updated about 7 hours ago
Thank you #TilaArmy for all the love and support….I love you all…xox
Updated about 7 hours ago
The truth will set you free…..God is with me.
Updated about 4 hours ago
[From Tila Tequila’s twitter via Celebrity Tweet]
Yeah, Tila, we get it. It had to have gone down the way you’re claiming because you don’t drink and you’re very little. How come the cops are saying on the record that you were drunk, then? This woman could be telling the entire truth and she may have been victimized by this guy. But she should have taken her lawyer’s advice and shut up about it. As it is, she sounds defensive and that’s not helping her case. We’ll have to see what happens in court and if this goes any further.
Update: TMZ has Shawne Merriman’s full statement on the night in question. It’s very professional, to-the-point, and convincing. Tila was examined and released and no charges have been filed against him. He says, in part. “I in no way caused any harm to Ms. Nguyen, however, paramedics were called and she was examined but no injuries were reported. She was released and has since returned to Los Angeles, California…. There have been no charges filed against me.”
Tila Tequila is shown out on 7/18/09. Shawne Merriman is shown on 12/1/08. Credit: WENN.com
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