Matthew Owens, 26, of 4325 E. East Ridge Drive, Warsaw, was arrested Tuesday for stalking his ex-girlfriend and sending death threats. According to Kosciusko County officials, Owens allegedly had hit the victim’s car with his own SUV, damaged her roommate’s vehicle, sent the victim multiple death threats in text messages and violated a protective order, all between Aug. 5 and 16. The affidavit of probable cause states that the issue started at Susie’s Sandbar in Warsaw on Aug. 5. A vehicle owner contacted Warsaw Police Department for a hit-skip accident. The victim told police she and Owens had argued inside the bar and then he left at 11:20 p.m. She found the damage 10 minutes later. Two hours later, after she returned home, the victim and her roommate observed Owens in his black Chevy Blazer doing donuts in the yard. All four tires of the roommate’s car had been intentionally cut. Damages to the roommate’s car is $263.80. At some point, Owens had been sending the victim threatening text messages, according to the affidavit. Some of the messages read: “I’m going to kill everyone you love,” “there’s no hope death is all that ensues” and “ ... I’m going to make you watch her die before I kill you,” speaking of her roommate’s mother. Police have obtained copies of these messages. Police pulled Owens over the following day, confirming that his Blazer had damage consistent with the victim’s vehicle. The victim obtained a protective order in Kosciusko County Superior Court Three with Owens as the respondent on Aug. 12. KCSD served Owens the order later that day. The order states that Owens is to refrain from harrassing, annoying, contacting and communicating with the victim. Owens, having been served the order, proceeded to call the victim’s cellphone 182 times by the following day, according to police. KCSD went to Owens’ residence Sunday, confirming that Owens had attempted to contact the victim and downloaded the information off of his phone. Owens was arrested on felony charges of stalking and intimidation and misdemeanor charges of invasion of privacy and criminal mischief. He is being held at Kosciusko County Jail with a $100,000 bond.
