Apple Valley Man Charged with Stalking Woman Outside School, Home

An man has been charged with stalking his ex-girlfriend at a Bloomington middle school, standing outside the school grounds with binoculars, repeatedly contacting her in violation of a restraining order and having his mail forwarded to her home.

Elwood Warwick Lucas, 55, is charged with two felonies: pattern of stalking conduct, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, and stalking, which has a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Lucas remains in the Hennepin County Jail on a $25,000 bond. He is also being held on pending felony theft charges in Minneapolis. A hearing in his case is scheduled May 7 in Hennepin County District Court.

According to the criminal complaint, signed by Bloomington Police Detective Kim Jones-O’Brien, Bloomington police were called to a middle school on April 25 after someone reported a suspicious man standing along the school fence with binoculars.

Police identified the man as Lucas, who initially lied to officers about why he was at the school, but eventually admitted that he was watching his ex-girlfriend, who works at the school, according to the complaint.

Officers spoke to the woman, who allegedly told them that she has an active restraining order against Lucas. She told police that she and Lucas were involved in a relationship that ended in 2000.

In late 2010, Lucas returned to Minnesota, and the two briefly reconnected, according to the complaint. However, on Feb. 17, 2011, the woman told Lucas that she didn’t want to see him again and asked him not to contact her anymore after she received a “disturbing communication” from a lawyer representing Lucas, the complaint says.

Lucas continued to send text messages to the woman and had his father call her on his behalf, the complaint charges.

On March 14, the woman saw Lucas parked near her home. She sought and received a harassment restraining order on March 16.

In next few days, Lucas left messages on the woman’s phone and sent her emails and flowers, the complaint says. On March 27, he had the post office forward his mail to her home, and continued to send text messages and emails, according to Jones-O’Brien’s account.

On April 6 and April 8, the woman got phone calls from a neighbor, who reported that Lucas was parked outside her home, she told police. By April 17, the victim discovered that Lucas was contacting her co-workers, asking about her and questioning whether she was involved with someone else, according to the complaint.

One of the woman’s male co-workers reported that Lucas had called him, followed him and took photographs of him, the complaint says.

On April 21, the woman again saw Lucas outside her home, watching her with binoculars, she told police. A neighbor called her the next day and said Lucas allegedly was again outside watching her home with binoculars.

Police interviewed Lucas, who allegedly admitted that he had received the restraining order but that he had continued to contact the woman, according to the complaint. He also admitted using binoculars to watch her, the complaint says.

Lucas’ criminal history includes a conviction for stalking and harassment in 2002.