Crime Stoppers: Angry kick leads to felony charge

Greg Glover,

Jun 5, 2024

The cost to repair the damage our suspect left behind may shock you, and makes this a serious offense. "In this case, the anger probably got the best of him, said Chattanooga Police Sgt. Victor Miller. "The door didn't open. Maybe he was having a bad day. Who knows?" 

It was one recent evening when the man entered the gas station on Frazier Avenue. "The suspect appears to be a white male," Miller explained, "was just over 6 feet tall, has a lot of tattoos." 

If he had simply gone in, made a purchase, and gone about his business, he would not have ended up as part of our story. Sgt. Miller described what transpired. "One of the doors did not open for him," he said. So, he opened the other door, walked inside the store, and immediately turned around and kicked the door that did not open for him." 

It was with so much force that the glass door shattered. And that was not all. "That caused significant damage to not only the door that broke, the frame of the door," Miller continued. "That was over $1000, and with that, that becomes a felony vandalism." 

It was a silly and costly overreaction. This emotional outburst could put a serious mark on this man's record. But it could also get you paid. "If you know information about this person, maybe you don't know exactly who they are, their name, but you know where they work or maybe where they frequent," said Miller, "call Crime Stoppers and provide that information."

Or, maybe you are the suspect. Sgt. Miller advises you to call the police, too. What ultimately happens in this case will be up to the judge and the DA's office. The faster this gets resolved, the better for everyone involved. "He was probably having a bad day, and things happened before that we don't know about. So, he just took out his anger and aggression out on the door," Sgt. Miller said. "The business shouldn't be responsible to replace it because you're having a bad day."

You could help get his anger management classes underway sooner rather than later. Remember, we never ask for your name, so the suspect will never know you turned him in.

Call Crime Stoppers: 698-333; Reference case number: 24-041223.