Pubdate: Fri, 13 Mar 2015
Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN)
Copyright: 2015 Chattanooga Publishing Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.timesfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/992
Note: Paper does not publish LTE's outside its circulation area
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)

DALTON POLICE SMASH IN WRONG DOOR

DALTON - The Dalton Police did almost everything by the book. Almost.

As part of an investigation into Eric Ashton, detectives allegedly 
purchased marijuana from Ashton during an undercover operation, then 
obtained a search warrant for his home at 1150 Whittle Drive.

They scoped out the home Tuesday evening to make sure Ashton's truck 
was in the driveway and that there were people in the residence. By 
11 p. m., they had assembled enough officers to take down the man 
they believed to be a drug dealer. So far, so good.

But when it came time to breach the front door, things didn't go as 
planned. Instead of surrounding Ashton's home at 1150 Whittle Drive, 
police approached a nearly identical home at 1138 Whittle Drive.

According to a news release, detectives announced that they were with 
the Dalton Police Department and had a search warrant. No one 
answered. Detectives then breached the door using a ram and rushed 
into the residence.

That's when they learned they were in the wrong house. The detectives 
apologized and ordered a new door to match the original. No one was 
hurt, and Ashton was taken into custody Thursday morning without incident.

The police are reviewing the wrong-door situation to determine if 
there were any procedural errors and to ensure this mistake doesn't 
happen again.

Ashton has been charged with two counts of selling marijuana, one 
count of possessing meth, one count of possessing marijuana, and one 
count of possession of the tools for the commission of a crime.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom