A Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Crockett Man Arrested for Burglary

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – The Persuaders, a popular R&B group from the 1970s, once sang about a thin line between love and hate. Nearly 50 years later, the song still holds true as evidenced by the actions of a Crockett man on Valentine’s Day night.  

Christopher O. Walling, 43, was taken into custody on charges of assault, criminal trespassing and burglary of a habitation after he kicked in the door of his ex-wife’s residence and assaulted her as well as another person in the apartment.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Crockett Police Officer Dillan Emerson was on patrol during the evening of Feb. 14 when he was dispatched to Cole Creek Apartment Complex in reference to a person attempting to kick in a door. 

“Upon my arrival to the scene, I observed that there was a subject walking from the area of apartment (number redacted). I contacted the subject and later identified him as Christopher Walling. Christopher was out of breath and I observed him to have blood on his hands and face,” Emerson stated in the affidavit.

Before Emerson could speak to Walling, the police report indicated Walling informed him he had just assaulted a male subject in the apartment to where the police officer was dispatched.

Walling was detained and placed in the back of Emerson’s patrol unit while he went to speak with the occupants of the apartment.

Once there, Emerson met with a female subject who identified herself as the ex-wife of Walling. He also met with a male subject in the apartment, who Walling had admitted to assaulting.

“(The female) advised that she and Christopher used to be married but are now divorced. (The female) also advised Christopher came too her front door and began knocking. When (they) did not open the door, Christopher kicked it in,” the legal document stated.

After Walling kicked the door in, the male and female retreated to the bedroom where the male attempted to hold the door closed.

“Christopher then forced his way into the bedroom and began to assault (the female) and (the male), causing bodily injury to both,” the affidavit stated.

After observing the injuries to the male and the female as well as learning Walling had received a previous criminal trespassing warning from the same address, Walling was arrested on charges of: burglary of a habitation; assault causing bodily injury; and criminal trespassing.

Under Texas law, the burglary charge is considered a second degree felony while the assault and criminal trespassing charges are Class A misdemeanors. 

According to Section 12.33 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 20 years or less than two years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

Walling’s total bond was set at $28,000. It was posted and he was released pending further legal proceedings.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].

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