Melee at Carnival cruise terminal in Galveston leads to arrest of a Chicago man While 24 people can no longer sail on a Carnival cruise ship following an all-out melee on Sunday (4/27/2025) in the baggage claim area of Terminal 25 at the Port of Galveston, one of those involved spent a night in jail and faces criminal charges. Ethan Simmie Merritt-Clark, 21, of Chicago, is charged with injury to an elderly person for his role in the rolling fight that showed people punching, kicking someone on the ground and general unruliness as passengers were disembarking from a week-long trip to the Caribbean. According to arrest records, Merritt-Clark is the only person involved who faces criminal charges. His actions appeared to start the mass scuffle. According to the probable cause affidavit used to charge Merritt-Clark, he and another passenger got into a verbal and then physical altercation as they headed to the baggage claim area. In the charging documents, the man who Merritt-Clark is accused of hitting told Port of Galveston police that he noticed that Merritt-Clark was “angry” and was taking a threatening posture in a “hostile manner.” The man, whose age was redacted, reportedly told Merritt-Clark, “Don’t do what you are about to do,” after the pair had already exchanged words. That’s when Merritt-Clark is accused of punching the man in the head, causing him to fall onto some luggage. Several family members of the man who was struck reacted and attacked Merritt-Clark. Video of the incident shows multiple people punching and then kicking Merritt-Clark while he was down on the ground in defense of the man who was initially struck. Witnesses interviewed by police corroborated the victim’s account and said the elderly man was attempting to de-escalate the situation before he was attacked. After getting statements, Port Police Officer J. Erickson arrested Merritt-Clark on the second-degree felony charge of injury to an elderly person because the victim in the case is older than 65 years old. None of the people shown in the video punching and kicking Merritt-Clark were charged with crimes. However, Carnival’s Matt Lupoli said 24 people were placed on the cruise company’s Do Not Sail List. “We will not tolerate such behavior,’ Lupoli said. “They can go on another cruise line if they want but are never welcome back with us.” Merritt-Clark posted $5,000 bail and was released from jail on Monday. His case was assigned to District Court Judge Jeth Jones’ court. As of Tuesday afternoon, no court hearing date had been set.

Posted by i45NOW TJ Aulds at 2025-04-30 02:26:31 UTC