posted June 1, 2009
The trust and investment manager for First Tennessee Bank in Chattanooga is facing charges in Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain after a May 15 incident.
Stella M. Anderson, 50, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident in Chattanooga and with DUI, violation of the open container law, an implied consent violation and assault on an officer on Lookout Mountain.
Police said the incident involving the bank executive vice president began in the 700 block of Market Street when she backed into a vehicle parked behind her with her black 2008 Infiniti.
Officers said the driver "failed to acknowledge that an accident had even taken place despite the fact that several key witnesses were on hand."
Police said they were told the vehicle "was being illegally operated by an intoxicated person."
Witnesses on the scene were able to jot down the tag number, and officers found out that she lived at 101 Glenview Ave., Lookout Mountain, Tn.
Chattanooga Police then alerted Lookout Mountain officers to be on the lookout for the black Infiniti.
Officer Dewayne Schermerhorn said he parked at Fleetwood Drive and S. Bragg on the mountain before spotting the Infiniti at that intersection at 7:25 p.m. He said she waited at the intersection for a minute to a minute and a half, then finally pulled out when a car came up behind her.
He said he immediately pulled in behind her and turned on his warning lights after she turned left on Fleetwood.
Officer Schermerhorn said she initially slowed down and began to pull to the side of the roadway, then continued. He said at the intersection of Eastview Drive, she again appeared to be stopping, then kept going. He said he followed her to her home at 101 Glenview Dr.
The officer said she had a strong smell of an alcoholic beverage and she was unsteady on her feet. She refused to perform field sobriety tests.
He said her daughter then came out of the house "and advised that the suspect had forgotten to pick up her brother from school three times."
The officer said Ms. Anderson told him he should "just shoot me in the head." He said she then reached for his handgun. He said he then moved her away from him and back against her vehicle, while instructing her never to reach for an officer's weapon.
Officer Schermerhorn said Ms. Anderson attempted a second time to reach for his gun. He said he then put her in handcuffs and placed her in the rear of his patrol car.
He said a search of the Infiniti turned up two open containers of alcohol covered up by a towel. They were behind the driver's seat.
Officer Schermerhorn said Chattanooga Police officers arrived and attempted to issue Ms. Anderson a citation for leaving the scene of an accident, but she refused to sign it. She was then transported to the Lookout Mountain Police headquarters, where she refused to submit to a blood alcohol test.
She was then transported to the Hamilton County Jail.
Chattanooga Police said Ms. Anderson "was extremely belligerent towards police (fueled by total inebriation) and refused to accept responsibility for leaving the scene of the accident that she caused."
Ms. Anderson is due to appear in General Sessions Court on Friday.
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