Shawne Merriman Denied Choking Girlfriend Tila Tequila

As the choking case of Tila Tequila continues, the accused, boyfriend Shawne Merriman denied the allegations, saying that he didn’t hurt the reality star.

The San Diego Chargers linebacker was arrested Sunday after the incident that made 27-year-old Tequila hospitalized. He spent about two hours in jail before posting a $58,000 bail, and gave a defensive line about the incident, saying that he didn’t hurt reality television host Tila Nguyen but was trying to protect her when he stopped her leaving his house.

In a statement that was issued through his lawyer on Sunday night, the 25-year-old athlete detailed, “On Sept. 6, 2009 the San Diego Sheriff’s Department responded to a citizen’s complaint that was initiated by Tila Nguyen (aka Tila Tequila). I was taken into custody based upon that complaint. At the time, I was concerned about her welfare given the intoxicated state she appeared to be in and I encouraged her to stay until safe transportation could be provided.”

The statement continued, “We would all do our best to help a friend if we considered their actions to be detrimental to their personal safety. 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.”

He added that he “looks forward to clearing [his] name regarding these false allegations.” and then concluded, “There have been no charges filed against me. I want to thank the San Diego Sheriff’s Department for their professionalism. I will continue to cooperate fully with the Department. I want to put this behind me so I can continue to focus on a successful season for the San Diego Chargers.”

The San Diego County District Attorney is still reviewing the evidence to decide whether criminal charges will be pressed. Meanwhile, Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith released a statement saying, “It’s disappointing to hear about the issue involving Shawne Merriman. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and let the legal process run its course.”

Neither Tequila nor her rep had declined to comment on the altercation, but the 27-year-old Singapore-born tweeted a response of sorts to Merriman’s allegations, writing: “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.”

Let’s wait for more improvements on the story then!

[ via Yahoo! News ]

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