Tracy Lynn Maddox
East Ridge police have arrested a homeless man for stealing a car from an employee of Checkers.
According to an affidavit of arrest, officers were called to the Checkers at 4348 Ringgold Road on Aug. 5 on a reported stolen vehicle. The victim, who was working inside the fast food restaurant at the time, told officers that he saw a white male wearing a tank top and bright green camo shorts steal his Chevy R-10 pickup. The victim said the man looked into his truck, walked back over to the Food Lion parking lot and spoke with two men in a Chevy Silverado. The suspect then walked back to his truck got inside and drove off into the parking lot.
According to the report, the victim ran from the store after his pickup truck which was traveling through the Food Lion lot. The victim told police that when the suspect saw him running after the truck he jumped out of the stolen R-10 and took off on foot behind the Food Lion. The victim told police that he noticed a “dark object” in the man’s hand as he ran but couldn’t tell for sure what it was.
The victim told officers that he was then approached by the two men in the Silverado who told him to get in the truck and they would take him behind the building toward the suspect. The report states that the victim refused the offer and went to notify police.
A short time later, police were dispatched to 5611 Ringgold Road in regard to a suspicious man attempting to get into vehicles in the parking lot. When an officer arrived, he noticed a white male matching the clothing description of the earlier incident was walking with a white female east on Ringgold Road. When the officer turned around and entered the lot, the man dropped his backpack and took off running down Keeble Street. The officer spoke with the woman who identified the man as Tracy Lynn Maddox. The report states that the woman told police that Maddox had told her that he had stolen a truck at Checkers, and that he was trying to get into vehicles at 5611 Ringgold Road.
Police caught up with Maddox the next day at the Mapco on Ringgold Road after a person called police and reported a man was walking around with a “large knife” behind his back. When police searched Maddox they found 17.4 grams of suspected methamphetamine on his person along with digital scales.
The 37-year old Maddox was arrested and charged with Theft over $5,000, Possession of Methamphetamine for Resale and Criminal Impersonation. He is due to appear in East Ridge Municipal Court on Aug. 16.
