Raccoon shot with BB gun, burned alive
Wausau, WI (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Sep 1, 2008
County: Marathon

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Brian Merriam

A Wausau man accused of trying to burn a raccoon alive after he couldn't kill it with a BB gun faces a felony charge of animal mistreatment.

A criminal complaint says 25-year-old Brian Merriam admitted it was a "stupid idea," but he refused to tell officers how he burned the animal.

Police were called Monday after someone reported an animal being abused.

The complaint says officers found the raccoon was on its side, its fur burned, but its distinctive ringed tail visible. Because of the raccoon's condition, an officer shot it to end its suffering.

The complaint says Merriam's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit in drunken driving cases. He was freed from jail Tuesday on a $2,000 signature bond.

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