An Illinois man is in legal trouble after reportedly ordering a large amount of food and requesting it to be delivered to his estranged wife’s home. Authorities allege the man had contacted four local restaurants and ordered 18 pizzas. The woman then began receiving phone calls from the restaurants asking her to confirm she was the one who had placed the orders. Authorities were able to track the orders back to the man’s computer. He is now facing a felony charge of aggravated stalking.
The wife has a current protection order against this man. He was facing other charges related to violating that order in an incident stemming from last year. The man also stood accused of slashing one of the woman’s vehicle tires while she was working.
Authorities decided to drop those charges in order to focus solely on the current felony case against him. The man’s bond has been set at $200,000. There was a bond hearing held recently, but it led to him being admonished after he allegedly called the woman a derogatory name during the proceeding.
Cases that involve relationships can often be convoluted because of the emotions involved on both sides. This man could have a difficult legal battle ahead of him, especially considering he has spent prior time in jail related to issues with his estranged wife. However, he is innocent until proven guilty and will have the opportunity to defend himself against this felony charge if the Illinois case goes to trial. For now, it may be in his best interests to begin crafting a strong defense.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Pizza orders lead to stalking charge,” George Houde, Feb. 28, 2013