A Maryland man who had been on the run for months has been captured and jailed after allegedly killing a dog with fireworks in the woods of Tennessee, according to police.
Cornell Mersiers Jr. was arrested last week in connection with a disturbing March 4 incident in Chattanooga. That day, police responded to a fire in the woods after reports that a man had thrown a dog out of his vehicle and set off fireworks at it, Local 3 News reported.
Responding officers discovered a small black and white pitbull mix, already deceased, with its torso torn open and showing signs of burn injuries.
Mersiers now faces multiple charges including animal cruelty, arson, criminal impersonation, disorderly conduct, and reckless endangerment.
Witnesses reported seeing a man throw an object—later confirmed to be the dog—out of a black Jeep Wrangler, followed by a loud bang and sparks that ignited a fire. When questioned by a witness, the man allegedly fled without answering.
One witness was able to take a photo of the suspect’s vehicle, which helped identify Mersiers.
When police called him, he initially answered and falsely identified himself as “Jason Smith,” insisting they had the wrong number. Authorities tricked him by asking him to pick up the dog—without mentioning the incident—but he failed to show up and ignored further calls.
It’s unclear where Mersiers had been hiding since the March incident or why the arrest took several months. He is scheduled to appear in court on November 3.
