Who shot at a pregnant woman at a residence in Soddy Daisy last Tuesday?
Was it Hugo Garcia Padilla (or Parilla) as witnesses first told Soddy Daisy Police?
Or was it Hugo Garcia Robles as witnesses now say?
The case has drawn attention after District Attorney Neal Pinkston said his election foe, Coty Wamp, improperly intervened in the case. He has asked the TBI to investigate the incident, saying Ms. Wamp may be guilty of official misconduct and witness tampering. He said he did so at the request of Soddy Daisy Police.
Ms. Wamp denies any wrongdoing and said she was acting in the interest of justice.
She said she received a text to call Jeff Cannon, who told her that police had the wrong man in the case. She said Mr. Cannon got her in touch with both victims who were at the scene of the shooting, and both said the man arrested was innocent. She said Mr. Cannon put them on the phone with her and they both said Hugo Garcia Padilla was the wrong man.
Ms. Wamp said after that she contacted the Soddy Daisy Police and the District Attorney Office to let them know about the turn of events. She said, "As an attorney I have a duty to let authorities know when I am told that the wrong person could be in jail."
She stated, "Beyond that, I have no interest in the case."
An arrest report says a Soddy Daisy man told police that Padilla came to his residence on Barbee Road intoxicated and started arguing with him. He said Padilla then pulled out a pistol and shot at him about hitting his pregnant girlfriend.
The man said the pregnant girlfriend jumped out of the way right before the shot was fired.
He said the girlfriend ran up to the man and hit his arm before he fired a second shot, causing the bullet to hit the ground behind the victims.
The man said the person he identified as Padilla then jumped in his truck and took off at a high rate of speed.
The officer said he talked to several neighbors who saw the incident. They said the suspect left in a four-door, grey F-150 pickup truck.
Both victims told the officer where the shooter lives. They said it was on Ely Road in Chattanooga. Chattanooga Police officers were asked to go to the scene at 1331 Ely Road. A four-door, grey F-150 was at the scene.
They were able to make contact with a man at the residence, who was identified as Hugo Garcia Padilla. He at first would not come out and only gave his name as Hugo. He was eventually taken into custody. He has since been released from jail.
The police report said there were shell casings found at the shooting scene that matched the description of the gun that the victims state the suspect used.
Hugo Garcia Padilla, 40, was charged with reckless endangerment and two counts of aggravated assault.
District Attorney Pinkston said Ms. Wamp later notified Soddy Daisy Police that the wrong suspect was in custody. He said that was "based upon her inquiry, talking to witnesses, victims and Padilla's employer. After this alleged intervention, victims recanted their original story, denied Hugo Garcia Padilla is suspect and now accuse Hugo Garcia Robles."
DA Pinkston said, "Soddy Daisy Police state victims are acting strangely after interaction with HCSO legal counsel Wamp and/or others on her behalf that are unknown at this time.
"Further, Wamp and Padilla's employer, Jeff Cannon, attempted to interfere with natural progression of criminal case by asking others to set case for special hearing within next 24 hours, with intention of preventing deportation of Padilla by ICE agents."
Mr. Cannon said Mr. Padilla does not work for him, but has his own tree company.