PUNXSUTAWNEY BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – A Punxsutawney man who is accused of stalking and harassing his neighbor is scheduled to stand for a hearing in court today.
Court documents indicate 44-year-old Douglas Edward Ballute is scheduled to stand for a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock at 2:15 p.m. on May 11, on the following charges:
– Stalking – Repeatedly Commit Acts To Cause Fear, Misdemeanor 1 (two counts)
– False Report – Falsely Incriminate Another, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment – Comm. Repeatedly in Another Manner, Misdemeanor 3 (two counts)
He is currently lodged in the Jefferson County Jail on $5,000.00 monetary bail.
The charges stem from incidents that began in early April.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint, on April 8, Punxsutawney Borough Police made contact with a known female victim who reported an assault. The victim told police that she had gotten into an argument with Douglas Ballute and he had grabbed her by the arm and hand and would not let her into her apartment.
The complaint notes police observed a mark on the victim’s finger from the incident.
According to the complaint, Ballute was then issued a citation for harassment and told not to go to the victim’s apartment or call her or contact her by any means.
The complaint states about 15 minutes after the officer left Ballute’s apartment, they were dispatched back to the victim’s apartment for a report that Ballute was there.
The victim reported Ballute came to her apartment and began banging on her door and yelling at her.
The victim also gave police the copy of the citation they had given to Ballute and reported Ballute had put it under her door and said, “you pay it.”
Police then went to speak to Ballute. When asked why he went back to the victim’s apartment, Ballute initially denied that he did so and said the victim came to his apartment and began pounding on the door and yelling. He also told police he “wants her arrested.”
The officer then handed him the copy of the citation and asked again why he went to the victim’s apartment, and Ballute allegedly remained silent. He was then told he would be receiving criminal charges for harassment and warned that if he continued, the charges would be elevated to stalking.
The complaint notes the officer reminded Ballute that no contact meant no knocking on the victim’s door, no calling her, and no teeing her, and Ballute allegedly stated he understood.
According to the complaint, police were then dispatched to the victim’s residence again approximately 20 minutes later for a report that Ballute was back at her door.
Police then went to Ballute’s apartment and asked why he had returned to the victim’s apartment, and Ballute again denied that he went there. Police explained the victim had called and said he was pounding on her door and tapped on her front window, and then her flag appeared next to her door when it had not been there 20 minutes prior.
Ballute reportedly told police that he “went outside to smoke,” and he took her flat and took it and “placed it by her door for safekeeping.”
Police then told Balute he was going to be receiving additional charges and needed to stop or he would end up in jail.
Ballute was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock at 9:15 a.m. on April 12.
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