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Professor arrested

18 March 2008 | By Mike Crump, Flat Hat Assoc. News Editor | The Flat Hat » news

Engstrom allegedly pushed mother-in-law

College professor Eric Engstrom was arrested March 5 on one count of simple assault after allegedly shoving his mother-in-law in his James City residence.

The victim, Judith Walthen, had been looking after Engstrom’s son. Engstrom and his wife are separated, but his wife and son reside in a house he owns.

According to Walthen’s police statement, Engstrom appeared in the house without first giving notice that he would be visiting. She said he then repeatedly ignored her questioning and went straight to talk with his son, who, according to Engstrom’s report, had been homesick.

Walthen then approached Engstrom with a phone, having called his wife to mediate the situation. After she refused to leave the room at his request, she said he shoved her, grabbed the phone and threw it. At this point, he allegedly grabbed her and pushed her out of the room.
Walthen said that a recent surgery had made the struggle especially painful. Officers responded at approximately 9:52 p.m.
Engstrom has taught as an assistant professor of biology at the College since August 2005. Biology chair and professor Paul Heideman could not comment on any possible change in hiring status based on recent events.
Engstrom declined to comment.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Some comments were removed because they were determined to be potentially libelous or unnecessarily damaging.

  1. A few things to remember: being arrested doesn’t always mean you did anything wrong, just because it’s in a police report doesn’t mean it’s true, a person is not required to give notice when he comes over to his own house that he’s paying for, and any good parent has a right to speak with his child in private and without being harassed.


    — Megan Rook    Mar 19, 05:58 PM    #

  2. This is irresponsible journalism. How can the author assert that it is (I add the emphasis) “HIS James City County residence,” “his wife and son reside in a house HE owns,” “and went straight to talk to HIS son?” It is the couple’s house that the couple owns, and the couple’s child. Furthermore, the son was not homesick, he was home sick. Check county records before asserting that there is sole ownership of property and have someone proof your article before publishing! Also, in response to Megan, you have no idea whether or not there is a restraining order or some other court order with respect to custody/visitation and the separation agreement. No one but the family knows all sides of the situation. Show some sensitivity, respect, and fairness to the family as they endure a tough time.


    — DRM    Mar 21, 10:00 AM    #

  3. What happened to all the comments?


    — Jordan Barnett    Mar 26, 09:36 PM    #

  4. Jordan, I would venture a guess that the flat hat decided to censor said comments to preclude entanglement with the case. what they did is inexcusable and smacks of the type of censorship in China or Russia. Disgusting. This post will undoubtedly be deleted soon.


    — censorship?    Mar 27, 01:46 AM    #

  5. I guess I have to follow the editors decision regarding deletion of comments. That being said, I am a friend of Eric’s wife and Megan Rook is Eric’s girlfriend. Please consider both of our biases in reading our comments.


    — Jordan Barnett    Mar 27, 06:48 PM    #