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$10K BOND SET ON STALKING ALLEGATIONS

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Friday, May 8, 2009 10:52 PM CDT

A $10,000 bond was set Friday for a Pine Bluff man who allegedly harassed and threatened a woman, and broke windows on houses and vehicles over a period of more than a year and-a-half.

Circuit Judge Rob Wyatt Jr., set the bond after ruling prosecutors had probable cause to charge Edward Johnson, 28, with stalking, based on an affidavit from police Detective Mike Sweeney.

Police contact

Reading from that affidavit, Deputy Prosecutor Cymber Gieringer said Lakeshia Hubbard contacted police April 24 and reported that she feared for her safety, and that of her children.

Gieringer said detectives located 15 separate reports that Hubbard had filed from November 2007 through April 2009, all involving Johnson.

Those reports included three different calls to Hubbard’s residence at 2608 S. Laurel St., where Hubbard reported that Johnson had called and sent text messages threatening her, broke two windows at her house, and struck her several times and pulled her hair.

Gieringer said police were not able to locate Love after those incidents.

In December, 2008, Sweeney reported police were sent to 405 Park, where Johnson claimed Hubbard had stabbed him in the neck, and although officers reported seeing blood, Johnson refused medical treatment and was uncooperative, finally resulting in his arrest for obstructing governmental operations. Hubbard was arrested for third-degree domestic battery, a misdemeanor.

On Feb. 11, Gieringer said Hubbard contacted the police Telephone Reporting Unit and said Johnson cut one of the tires on her vehicle, and on Feb. 21, police were sent back to 405 Park Place where Hubbard said Johnson had broken a window.

Gieringer said Hubbard filed for an order of protection by that time, but it had not been served on Johnson.

Broken window

On April 11, Hubbard reported Johnson broke the back window of her car and a day later, an off-duty officer hired by Hubbard to watch her house reported seeing a man he believed to be Johnson throw a brick and break a house window, get into a black car and drive away before an arrest could be made.

She said Johnson had previous convictions for terroristic threatening in 2004, was placed on probation in 2007, and is scheduled for a hearing to revoke that probation Monday.

In addition to setting the bond, Judge Wyatt ordered Johnson to have no contact with Hubbard or her children until the case is settled.

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