Former Etowah, Tennessee, police chief Eric Armstrong turned himself in to McMinn County authorities Thursday after being sought on a misdemeanor assault by domestic violence warrant since Sunday.
McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said in a statement that Armstrong turned himself in around 10 a.m. Thursday.
Armstrong was booked into the jail and freed on a $500 bond, Guy said. Armstrong has a court date in McMinn County General Sessions Court in March before Judge Wiley Richardson.
"We are relieved that Eric has turned himself in on the warrant," Guy said. "We hope the situation turns out as well as possible for all involved."
Armstrong had been sought since an incident Sunday morning when deputies answered a domestic call at his home on County Road 461 around 6 a.m., according to an earlier statement from Guy. The deputies took a report from a woman they said had a "facial injury" who told officers it was caused by her boyfriend, whom she identified as Armstrong. The two had been having a fight, the sheriff said. The woman declined medical treatment and was taken to a family member's home.
Armstrong was gone when authorities arrived at the home Sunday and was fired from his job Monday by 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," reads a statement issued by Tuggle on Monday. Detective Jim Shaw is serving as interim chief, she said.
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 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.