East Ridge police recently charged a Chattanooga man with stalking.

Derek Eugene Smith

Derek Eugene Smith, 44, of a North Lovell Street address,  is being held in the Hamilton County Jail under a $250,000 bond. He is due to appear in East Ridge Municipal Court on March 15. Court officials said Smith had just recently been released from prison. Officials said he had previous charges in other jurisdictions of Aggravated Kidnapping and Aggravated Burglary.

According to an affidavit of complaint, a woman who works at a local doctor’s office called police to report that she had a stalker. The victim told police that she had received an anonymous gift of  a teddy bear and a rose in mid February. The report states that Smith had asked a person who works near the victim’s office to deliver it to her. 

A few days later the victim went to her office and found an envelope with her first name on it attached to the door. The report states that the note included reasons for the gift of the teddy bear and rose and that “the admirer’s identity will be revealed soon.” The note was not signed. 

The report states that two weeks later the victim received a phone call from Smith, who did not reveal his identity, but did ask the woman if she was feeling “creeped out.” The victim told Smith to stop and not call her again and that she would contact the police.

The witness who delivered the gift from Smith gave a description of the man to police, including the fact that he drives a black Volvo wagon.

On the same day, the report states, officers were dispatched to the victim’s office and they were advised that Smith had parked his car in the parking lot. Officers made contact with Smith and asked him what he was doing at the doctor’s office. According to the report, he told police that he came by to find out when and how he was to pay a medical bill.

The report states, the during a field interview of Smith, he told police that he sent the gifts and the letter. Smith was read his Miranda rights. The report states that Smith cooperated with police when questioned. He admitted to frequenting the parking lot of the doctor’s office as early as 8 a.m. when it opens for business.

_ A woman who called police to assist in making her “cheating” boyfriend leave their house has been arrested.

Diana Marie Lindburg, 29, of a Shirl Jo Lane address, was charged with Domestic Aggravated Assault. She is due to appear in municipal court on March 22.

According to an affidavit of complaint, Lindburg called officers on March 11. She told police that her boyfriend had cheated on her and that she wanted officers to make him leave the residence. She told police that the couple had been arguing after she accused him of being unfaithful and a dresser drawer had fallen apart while the boyfriend was trying to get it outside the residence.

The report states that police observed two holes knocked in a bedroom door and saw wooden pieces from the door in the floor. Lindburg told police that she didn’t know how the damage to the door happened, the report states.

When officers spoke to the boyfriend (victim) they noticed two large red scratch marks on his neck. The report states that police also saw multiple fingernail marks on the man’s left forearm with minor bleeding. 

The victim told police that the couple had been arguing and that Lingburg hit him in the arm with a television remote control device. He said the argument escalated while he was trying to remove clothes from the house. The victim told officers that Lindburg became irate and began swinging an aluminum baseball bat “all over the bedroom.” He was able to dodge all the swings, he said. The victim told officers that several wild swings struck the bedroom door. The victim managed to get the bat away from the woman and throw it under the bed out of her reach.

The report states the the holes in the bedroom door were consistent with having been struck by a bat, and photo evidence was obtained.

The report states that Lindburg denied any physical altercation or any incident involving a baseball bat, and further reiterated that she only called police to make her boyfriend leave. The report states that when Lindburg was placed into custody, she “became irate and began cursing at police and verbally threatening  police.”