By Lisa Pett

A 47-year-old man was in court last week facing allegations he stalked and harassed his former wife.

James Williams was arrested in front of the Portage Co. Sheriff’s Office in late August. According to the criminal complaint, a woman called dispatch from in front of the sheriff’s office to complain her ex-husband locked her keys inside her vehicle after following her for several miles.

When officers approached the woman she had retrieved her keys but appeared shaken and upset, telling police the incident began at a gas station in Plover, where her ex-husband began to follow her vehicle and repeatedly call her cell phone.

She also told officers Williams had recently begun visiting her workplace, leaving unwanted notes and flowers for her. She showed officers her cell phone which listed six phone calls that day from Williams.

When the woman first noticed Williams allegedly following her, she drove to the sheriff’s office to contact police. Initially, Williams drove away from the scene but began following the woman again as soon as she drove away from the building. When she noticed she was being followed again, she returned to the sheriff’s office.

City police activated emergency lights on a squad car to get Williams’ attention, but he only stopped his vehicle after an officer standing on the sidewalk shouted at him.

When Williams pulled over, he was arrested for stalking.

Williams was issued a $5,000 cash bond and ordered to stay away from the victim. He returns to court Sept. 14.