The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to stalking two TV reporters and was ordered to stay away from the station.
Columbus R. Stevenson, 76, admitted to two misdemeanor charges of stalking WTKR newscasters Bianca Martinez and Juliet Bickford. A judge gave Stevenson a two-year suspended sentence and ordered him to cease contact with the women.
Substitute General District Judge Virginia Cochran also ordered him to live with his daughter in California or his sister in Hampton.
Prosecutor Patricia O'Boyle said in court that Stevenson showed up at the station and told employees he was there to pick up the women. He told station employees that he had a relationship with the newscasters, although he did not, O'Boyle said.
The offenses occurred in August, according to court documents. Defense attorney Diane Toscano said a mental evaluation determined that Stevenson was insane at the time of the incidents. He was later found competent to stand trial.
Jeff Hoffman, WTKR president and general manager, said Stevenson was stopped before he could enter the building. He added that broadcast stations sometimes attract dangerous people, and the station has reviewed its security policies.
"We take the safety of our employees extremely seriously," Hoffman said.
Martinez anchors the weekday news broadcasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., and Bickford is a weekday morning anchor, according to the station's website.
Louis Hansen, (757) 222-5221, louis.hansen@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Am I missing something?
I read this article again and I do not see any mention of a car or any evidence from a car. The old guy probably has dementia. I am surprised that they got a warrant for stalking for just a single instance, having never had the first contact with either princess. Really sounds like a "Jam Job" to me.
publicity stunt?
Love the comment about the guy being the only viewer of WTKR! I have to wonder if maybe WTKR is taking advantage of this to create some publicity. It was established that this ELDERLY, 76 YEAR OLD man has a mental issue. He shows up at the station to attempt to pick up the women. No report of force. No report of struggle. No report of following them. No report of ever having tried to contact them before or since. No report that he made it passed the front desk. Seems as though all precautions worked. Now I have to question why WTKR would legally pursue and prosecute an old man that would likely NOT be much of a physical threat. Gotta agree with the other posters that question why any of the news reporter targets can't file stalking charges against the reporters? After seeing and hearing the local reporters, it's understandable why only an insane person would stalk them. The ugly stick and the lack of tallent wand is in full swing in this area when it comes to TV reporters.
Oh, come on. A lot of funny
Oh, come on. A lot of funny and true comments here, and all not necessarily both funny and true, but a 76 year old with mental issues may also carry any weapon he chooses. He may even carry more than one at a time and be a real threat. All news stories do not go into great depth, perhaps in that case they shouldn't be printed at all if full disclosure isn't possible for whatever reason. Sometimes extreme measures must be taken to get a person the help they need, and that can be for one or both sides of an issue. He's been ordered to live with a relative out of state. Now, if he needs help he may get it. If charges hadn't been pressed, and he needs help, he'd still be out there on his own.
Since you seem so
Since you seem so knowledgeable, do you know what was found in the car of the ELDERLY 76 YEAR OLD man? I didn't think so. Also, the word is past, not passed.
And?
So what DID they find in the car Clark?
Concur!
WTKR's final screw up and nail in their coffin was when they let Dave Parker go.
Well, there's always channels 10 and 13.
Didn't Dave Parker leave on his own?
That was the story, that he wanted to try something else. I've heard him on US106 radio several times since he left channel 3. As for channels 10 and 13, channel 10 didn't do itself any favors when Cheryl Nelson left.
Who?
Who is Dave Parker?
Meteorologist
for channel 3 several years ago.
Ratings.....
It must have been hard for WTKR to convict its only living viewer.