Alleged stalker appears in court

A former Oberlin student will go before the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas on Oct. 5. He faces charges of stalking, resisting arrest and attempting to assault police officers.

Erik Halgrimson, a former double degree student, was arrested in October 1996 after allegedly stalking another Oberlin student for a year and a half.

The Oct. 5 appearance is a pre-trial hearing at which Halgrimson will be able to plead on the charges he faces. The hearing was postponed several times over the summer, and most recently last Tuesday.

Halgrimson is accused of maliciously stalking an Oberlin woman, following her to various locations including Oberlin, Chicago, Denver and Boulder.

According to prosecutor's documents Halgrimson became a private violin student of the victim in Spring 1995. The papers allege: "The Defendant displayed inappropriate behavior as demands of time, constant phone calls, following the victim around campus, odd gifts and talking about the victim all the time. The victim was afraid to go out of her dorm." In December 1995 the plaintiff terminated classes with Halgrimson.

In January 1996 Halgrimson allegedly showed up at a Colorado Symphony Concert where the victim was working and attempted to speak with her. Halgrimson is from Colorado.

Upon returning to Oberlin at the end of January the victim and Halgrimson allegedly had a conversation in which the woman "told him all this attention was unwanted and was frightening her."

In the same conversation, Halgrimson allegedly asked the victim to go with him somewhere. The victim refused. A few hours later, Halgrimson attempted to commit suicide by cutting both sides of his neck with a sharp object. He has since recovered from the wounds.

In May 1996 the victim sought a restraining order. Halgrimson then allegedly sent two threatening letters to the victim and left a threatening message on her answering machine. The documents allege the victim then stayed in motels and at friends' homes due to fear.

After an encounter between the victim's roommate and Halgrimson, the victim and her roommate left the state. A week later, the victim returned with her father, who stayed with her. She also contacted Halgrimson family at this point in an attempt to stop his behavior.

The victim went to Chicago from June to August 1996. Halgrimson also went to Chicago and enrolled at Northwestern, Evanston campus, 10 minutes from the victim's parents' home.

In June 1996, Halgrimson was seen standing at the victim's parents' home and a police report was filed. Halgrimson was also seen in July at a private party where the victim was working. When asked to leave he allegedly became belligerent.

Upon returning to Oberlin in the fall of 1996, the victim again saw Halgrimson trespassing on the campus. He was consequently arrested by the Oberlin Police in October of 1996.

According to prosecutor's documents, when approached by police officers Halgrimson resisted arrest. He allegedly said, "You're not putting those on me," while officers attempted to cuff him. Halgrimson is also accused of attempting to strike officers.

Halgrimson has since been released on $40,000 bond and has received travel privileges to visit both Denver and Columbus.