The former police chief of Etowah, Tennessee, is at-large and being sought on an arrest warrant stemming from an domestic situation early Sunday that ended with a criminal charge and the chief's termination from his job.
Longtime Etowah police chief Eric Armstrong is the subject of a warrant charging him with assault by domestic violence, according to the McMinn County Sheriff's Office, the agency investigating the incident. Armstrong could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
Sheriff Joe Guy was unavailable to talk about the case Tuesday but on Monday issued a news release about the incident and Armstrong's outstanding warrant.
Deputies got a call to a domestic incident on County Road 461 around 6 a.m. Sunday where they took a report from a woman with a "facial injury" that she said was caused by her boyfriend, whom she identified as Armstrong, according to a report by WBIR news in Knoxville. The woman declined medical treatment and was taken to a family member's home.
Armstrong was gone when authorities arrived and couldn't be immediately located, according to the release.
"Our officers checked several locations but were unsuccessful in locating him all day on Sunday, nor last night," Guy said in the release issued Monday. "It is difficult to deal with a domestic situation involving a law enforcement officer, especially someone you have worked your whole career with, but the incident must be investigated as any other domestic incident."
Armstrong is being sought on a warrant charging him with assault by domestic violence, which will be served upon his arrest or when he turns himself in to authorities, according to the sheriff.
Armstrong was fired from his job Monday, according to a statement from Etowah city manager Tina M. Tuggle.
"In light of the situation and charges that have now been filed against Mr. Eric Armstrong, the City administration, via the City Manager has officially terminated Mr. Armstrong from the position of Chief of Police as of 6:00 a.m. this morning," Tuggle said in the statement.
"Detective Jim Shaw will now serve as Interim Chief of Police for the City of Etowah effective immediately," Tuggle said, noting that the city department is taking no role in the investigation that is being led by the sheriff's office.
Tuggle said Tuesday in the email accompanying the statement that Armstrong was first suspended on Sunday morning as soon as Tuggle learned of the incident, and when he failed to turn himself in he was removed from his post.
"I felt that there was NO choice in the matter but to terminate Mr. Armstrong," Tuggle said in the email.
"The decision for this is very simple. The officers for the City of Etowah are to always be professional and set a solid quality standard. With the said actions, and with his decision not to turn himself into the McMinn County authorities, he no longer represented the standards of a quality officer for the City of Etowah," Tuggle said. "[T]he City of Etowah Administration does not condone the actions Mr. Armstrong has been charged with, and - we will work with the investigating agencies in any means necessary in this matter."
Armstrong was picked for the chief's position in Etowah in February 2011 from a group of five applicants. At the time, he had been working at the department since 2002, Times Free Press archives show. When he was hired as chief, Armstrong replaced former chief Phil Robinette, who had resigned in Dec. 31, 2010, archives show.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.