Merrillville Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Brutal Attack
On March 5, 2021 at 3:49AM, Schererville Police were dispatched to an apartment in the 1400 block of Grandview Court for a disturbance call, according to Deputy Chief Jeff Cook of The Schererville Police.
Responding officers were told by the two female residents that a male subject known to them as Charles McCloud Smith, 28, of Merrillville had just broken into their apartment and battered them while threatening to kill them both, Cook told RNS. One of the females reported that she was asleep on the couch and was awakened to see Smith standing over her. She stated she then got off the couch to go get the other female at which point Smith attacked her, knocking her down to the floor and aggressively pushing his fingers into her eyes. Smith told the victim “You’re going to die” while he was trying to gouge out her eyes with his fingers. The other female reported that she awoke to the sound of the struggle and attempted to pull Smith off the victim. She was able to get her free from Smith, once free, she was able to run out of the apartment and call for help. The second female stated that Smith then began to stab her with a metal fork, while yelling, “You’re going to die tonight.” Shortly after Smith took her cell phone and fled the apartment in his vehicle.
Merrillville Police officers located Smith driving his vehicle and attempted to stop him. Smith led Merrillville officers on a pursuit that ended when Smith crashed into another vehicle in the intersection of Merrillville Road and 93rdAvenue. Smith was taken into custody by Merrillville officers at the scene and later transferred to Schererville officers. One of the female victim’s sustained lacerations on her upper right bicep as a result of being stabbed. The other female victim sustained an injury to her left eye and bruising to her face.
Smith was later transported to Lake County Jail where he remains in custody several Felony charges.
Two Counts of Attempted Murder- Level 1 Felony
One Count of Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury- Level 5 Felony
One Count of Domestic Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon- Level 5 Felony
One Count of Battery Resulting in Moderate Bodily Injury- Level 6 Felony
One Count of Domestic Battery Resulting in Moderate Bodily Injury- Level 6 Felony
One Count of Residential Entry- Level 6 Felony
One Count of Theft- Class A Misdemeanor
