Aspen police arrested a Carbondale man Sunday for allegedly stalking his ex-girlfriend over the past six months, according to court documents.
The alleged victim in the case told police that Steven McCullough, 58, had been harassing her by phone and text, called her and appeared at her place of work, shown up at her home uninvited and used social media to try to contact her as well since they broke up a few months ago, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Pitkin County District Court.
The woman’s co-workers also reported that McCullough calls the business and hangs up when the woman does not answer, the affidavit states. One co-worker told police she’s seen McCullough walk by the store numerous times to see if the woman was working. The last time was around 6 p.m. Friday, the co-worker said, according to the affidavit.
“(The store) is outside the normal flow of shoppers and foot track,” Aspen police Officer Jeremy Johnson noted in the affidavit. “According to (the alleged victim), McCullough would not shop at any of the (surrounding) storefronts that are near (her place of work).”
The alleged victim told police McCullough dropped off an 18-page “love letter” at her Basalt home in early January when she was not there. In addition, she said he recently left a letter on her car, which was parked at the Intercept Lot, which bothered the woman because she didn’t know how he knew her car was there, the affidavit states.
McCullough also allegedly showed up at her home when she was there and begged her to take him back, according to the affidavit.
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During his advisement Monday in District Court, McCullough said the whole situation was a “misunderstanding.” He said he happened to park his car near the alleged victim’s place of business Saturday because that’s where a parking spot was open, and that he had no intention of trying to contact the woman.
Further, McCullough said he hung up on an Aspen police officer who called him about the alleged harassment before he was arrested because he didn’t want to answer his questions and suspected he wasn’t a real cop. He said that when he discovered the officer did indeed work for Aspen police, he realized his decision to hang up on him was “not smart.”
McCullough was charged with felony stalking, domestic violence and two counts of misdemeanor harassment.
The alleged victim did not oppose a personal recognizance bond as long as McCullough does not contact her again, prosecutor Don Nottingham said.
District Judge Chris Seldin issued a protection order forbidding McCullough from contacting the alleged victim and allowed McCullough out of jail on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.