Man Accused of Fighting at Least Four Officers in ‘Excited Delirium’ Fueled by Meth Stopped Breathing During Brawl, Resuscitated at Scene

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A Centralia man required medical attention after an encounter with Centralia Police Department officers Sunday evening, with police reports detailing an extensive struggle that included four officers.

Brian L. Schmidt, 50, will be booked into the Lewis County Jail on suspicion of assault in the third degree, according to police. As of Monday evening, he was not listed on the Lewis County Jail roster. Police reports indicate he would be booked following medical examination.

Witnesses at the scene Sunday told a Chronicle staff member that officers deployed Tasers and got physical with Schmidt during their interaction. Police Chief Carl Nielsen said any force the officers might have used was in response to Schmidt resisting arrest.

Police reports obtained by The Chronicle detail a convoluted struggle between Schmidt and multiple officers.

According to the reports, at 10:34 p.m. Sunday, Officer Doug Lowrey, in a marked patrol car, attempted to pull over Schmidt’s vehicle in the 300 block of Harrison Avenue. Lowrey said in the report that a look-up of Schmidt’s license plate indicated he had an active warrant, and a history of being combative with police.

Officer Phillip Reynolds noted in a supplemental report that Schmidt did not pull over after Lowrey activated his emergency lights. Reynolds pulled alongside Schmidt’s vehicle, and he eventually came to a stop along the side of the road.

“I could see the driver … manipulating something in his lap. I could not see Schmidt’s hands,” Reynolds wrote in the report. Reynolds and Lowrey drew their pistols and demanded he show his hands to be handcuffed. Reynolds holstered his weapon as he approached the car. Schmidt allegedly shoved Reynold’s hand away, and Lowrey issued out a “palm strike to the side of Brian’s head.”

Schmidt then allegedly left the car through the passenger side door, and began exchanging blows with Reynolds. Reynolds includes in his report that he was struck in the head, torso and leg, and that Schmidt ripped his radio off his uniform.

Lowrey deployed his Taser, striking Schmidt in the chest. Schmidt flailed his arms and knocked the barbs off his body. Lowrey wrote that he then struck Schmidt on the side of the head with the Taser.

“This did not have any effect on him and he continued to resist our efforts to subdue him,” wrote Lowrey.

Additional units were requested and two more officers came to the scene, along with members of other law enforcement agencies. Reports detail a wrestling match on the ground as Schmidt continued to allegedly resist arrest. Lowrey wrote that he used the Taser to apply multiple “drive stuns to various parts of Brian’s body in an attempt to control his hands and place him into custody. Each time a drive stun was delivered it had no effect on him and it appeared he felt no pain.”

Lowrey continued to strike Schmidt with knee strikes, and hit him in the right abdomen with a flashlight.

Officer Michael Smerer arrived on scene, and his report states that the other two officers were wrestling with Schmidt, who was bleeding, and trying to get his arms under control. Smerer deployed his Taser, hitting Schmidt in the left side of the body. He then pulled out the barb, according to reports.

“I have never, in my career, seen an individual conduct this (feat) and feel no adverse affects of the (Taser) application,” wrote Smerer, who then applied multiple more stun drives to Schmidt’s hamstring.

Reynolds also, in the span of his report, details landing multiple blows on Schmidt, using his fists, knees and various self-defense tactics.

Officer Philip Weismiller arrived on scene, and the four officers put Schmidt in handcuffs, who allegedly continued to thrash around.

Schmidt’s face began to turn blue, and a responding Lewis County deputy was unable to find a pulse. Law enforcement began performing chest compressions and an AED brought back Schmidt’s pulse.

After being transferred to Providence Centralia Hospital, a doctor would indicate he “believed he had suffered from excited delirium in which his organs failed.” Smerer wrote in his report that Schmidt would be left in the hospital for at least one day for continued observation.

“I was informed that he had no major injuries sustained from the fight that occurred between him and law enforcement. I was informed that Brian tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine in his system,” wrote Smerer.