Pct. 2 Scurry County Commissioner Craig Merritt was issued a citation for Class C misdemeanor assault by Snyder police on Tuesday.
The citation was issued in connection with a Sept. 17 incident in which Merritt shoved Gayle Summers on the second floor of the Scurry County Courthouse, Snyder police Lt. Mike Counts said. Merritt faces up to a $500 fine, but no jail time.
Counts said even though a citation has been issued, the investigation is still open because he has interviews scheduled with witnesses who were at the courthouse on Sept. 17 and will pick up additional video surveillance from county officials.
“Other than a final few details, the investigation is pretty much complete,” Counts said.
Summers, on Thursday, filed the complaint with the Scurry County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Trey Wilson forwarded the case to the Texas Rangers. Counts said the Rangers contacted the police department to investigate the incident because if charges were filed, they would be for misdemeanor assault.
Counts said the incident didn’t rise to the level of felony assault because Summers did not sustain “serious bodily injury” and no weapons were involved.
“So aggravated assault by a public servant did not apply in this case,” he said.
Counts talked to Summers, Merritt and one eyewitness before issuing the citation. He also reviewed second-floor hallway video at the time of the incident.
“The video did not show the assault,” he said.
The incident occurred following the adjournment of a Hermleigh Water Works board of directors meeting. According to video on the Scurry County YouTube channel, Summers wanted to ask about Scurry County activities because the Hermleigh board consists of county commissioners. The video showed County Judge Dan Hicks asking Summers what business of the Hermleigh Water Works she wanted to discuss before it ended because the meeting adjourned.
Counts said the surveillance video showed Merritt and Summers on the second floor, but no audio was available.