Here is the sentence:
David was so hungry that he fought his brother
for the container of leftovers, teared off
the lid, and ate the cold meatloaf and congealed
gravy right out of the plastic.
The second verb, teared, is incorrect. As you know, this sentence requires the simple past. Tore is the right form; teared is a spelling error.
| Verb | Simple Present | Simple Past | Past Participle |
| tear | tear(s) | tore | torn |