A Schuylkill County man is in jail on a stalking charge after police say he followed a 72-year-old woman and her dog through Pottsville for three straight nights until she pepper-sprayed him early Tuesday.
Johnathan Wampole, 56, of Pottsville, is charged with stalking, harassment, and disorderly conduct. He was arraigned early this morning before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker, who set bail at 10% of $15,000 and remanded to Schuylkill County Prison.
Police in Pottsville were called shortly before 2 a.m. Tuesday to Pottsville Tobacco & Hookah, on N. Centre St., for a report of a man being pepper-sprayed by a woman.
The woman told police Wampole had followed her for several blocks through the city, talking to her and trying to pet her dog. She said she went to the shop because she knew other people would be there and she was afraid of what he might do.
On the sidewalk outside the shop, Wampole approached her and tried to touch her dog, she told police. She warned him to get away from her or she would spray him. When Wampole tried to touch the dog a second time, she pepper-sprayed him.
The woman told police the two had a history. She said Wampole’s dogs had previously attacked her dog, and Pottsville animal control officer took Wampole’s dogs as a result. She said Wampole blames her for losing his dogs and that before he approached her Tuesday, he made threatening gestures toward her dog.
Police say Wampole had also followed her in a similar way on each of the two previous nights while she walked her dog. She told police she told him several times on those nights to get away from her and her dog.
The woman told police Wampole’s following left her afraid to leave her home, caused her substantial emotional stress and led her to start carrying pepper spray to protect herself.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Oct. 12 before Magisterial District Judge James Reiley.
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