NFL player’s ex accused of cutting him, attacking girlfriend with bat

BRASELTON, Ga. — An NFL player’s ex-girlfriend is behind bars accused of attacking him and breaking his new girlfriend’s arm with a bat.

Police say the football pro’s girlfriend tried to hide out at a Gwinnett County hotel after breaking into his house not once, but three times.

“There was a knife involved and there was a gun at first when we got there,” said Assistant Police Chief Lou Solis with the Braselton Police Department.

Braselton police say Erika Palmer had access to a gun, knife and bat when she confronted her NFL boyfriend, Colts linebacker Erik Walden, and his new girlfriend Saturday.

They squared off three times at Walden’s Hall County home. Walden and Palmer have two children together.

Police say she went to Walmart for the knife and bat.

“She ends up going to his house, breaks into the back door, makes entry,” Solis said.

Police say when Walden and his new girlfriend walked into the home, Palmer was sitting on his couch with his gun and the bat.

Police believe she ran into the woods with Walden’s Rolex watch and phone before they arrived.

She came back once the police left.

This time, investigators say, she used the knife and cut Walden’s arm.

Investigators suspect Palmer went to the house one more time.

“We get there and of course she has gone again,” Solis said.

Walden wasn’t home when Channel 2’s Erica Byfield stopped by.

Police tracked Palmer’s cellphone to a Gwinnett County hotel. They arrested her and then booked her on 13 charges that include aggravated assault, theft by taking and battery.

“We have turned everything over to the Hall County DA’s office,” Solis said.

Palmer does not have a bond.

This isn’t the first domestic violence incident between Palmer and Walden. Byfield found another incident from 2011 in Wisconsin.

Walden ended up doing community service and agreeing to go to counseling after that.