Apple Valley Man Charged with Using 2-Year-Old as Human Shield

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An Apple Valley man has been charged in connection with a domestic assault incident in which police say he used a 2-year-old child as a human shield when an officer pointed a gun at him.

Timothy Lee Myers, 52, is charged with child endangerment, a gross misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $3,000 fine. He is also charged with two misdemeanors: domestic assault and obstructing the legal process, each of which has a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, Apple Valley police were called to a home in the 14400 block of Garrett Avenue just before 2 a.m. Sept. 22 to investigate a report of a disturbance. The caller told police that there was yelling in the background and it was “getting pretty bad.”

Police forced their way into the home because they were concerned that someone had been assaulted and might still be in danger. They found Myers, who yelled at an officer who told him to put his hands on his head.

An officer drew his gun on Myers, who had a hand behind his back and still refused to comply, the complaint says. At that point, Myers picked up a 2-year-old girl and held the child in front of him as a human shield, according to the complaint.

As another officer came into the room, the original officer grabbed the child. Myers continued fighting with officers who were trying to arrest him, according to the complaint.

A witness told police that he had walked in on a fight in progress between Myers and a woman, and that he got between the two after he saw them pushing one another.

Another witness said she was awakened by the sound of Myers and the victim fighting. When she heard it become physical, she heard the woman making noises as though she was being choked, the told police, and she said she believed that Myers pushed or threw the victim against a glass door.

The victim would not give a statement to police because she said she feared that she would be evicted, according to the complaint. However, when an officer asked if Myers had choked her, she nodded.

Myers has been released from custody on his promise to make all future court appearances. An omnibus hearing in his case is scheduled Oct. 23 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.