Grapevine gym owner had sex with teen in motel, parking lots, police say

The owner of the Grapevine Volleyball Club raped a teenager at her residence and had sex with her in parking lots and an area motel, according to search and arrest warrant affidavits obtained by the Star-Telegram on Wednesday.

Damian Merrick, 48, of Grapevine was arrested Friday, accused of sexually assaulting the 16-year-old girl March 29 at her Grapevine residence while her parents were away.

Merrick gave marijuana to the girl and other teens, and then forced the girl to have sex in a bathroom, according to the affidavits.

Initially, the girl did not tell anyone what had happened because she was scared and blamed herself, the warrants say.

Merrick was first arrested May 7, accused of providing marijuana to juveniles in March and April, and he was rearrested last week on a new charge of sexual assault of a child.

He surrendered to police Friday and was released after posting $20,000 bail.

He could not be reached Wednesday for comment.

“The investigation is ongoing,” police Sgt. Robert Eberling said Wednesday. “We want to make sure there are no other victims.”

In May, the Grapevine teen told investigators that Merrick had sexually assaulted her several times, according to the affidavits.

Merrick is accused of performing sex acts on her twice in March, once in a parking lot in the 2600 block of East Southlake Boulevard in Southlake and in a parking lot in the 800 block of West Royal Lane in Irving, the affidavits say.

“Since this began in Grapevine, we are filing the cases that involve the mentioned cities,” Eberling said Wednesday.

Merrick is accused of paying for a motel room in Bedford for a few days in early April and having sex there with the teen.

He faces charges of delivery of marijuana to a child and sexual assault of a child, police said.

This story was originally published July 1, 2015 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Grapevine gym owner had sex with teen in motel, parking lots, police say."