Indiana House candidate charged with stalking opponent
A candidate running for the Indiana House of Representatives has been charged with stalking, forgery, perjury and resisting arrest, according to court documents filed in Marion Superior Court.
John L. Couch, 49, Indianapolis, an independent candidate in House District 92, was taken into custody Oct. 9 after police served a search warrant at his apartment in the 5100 block of East 10th Street.
Police had been investigating claims by state Rep. Karlee Macer that Couch had been stalking her for months, Maj. Michael R. Hubbs of the Marion County Sheriff's Office said in a probable cause affidavit filed earlier this month.
The affidavit states that over a six-month period, Couch had approached Macer six times, and each time he made her feel frightened, intimidated, uncomfortable and threatened. Macer also received emails and calls to her personal cellphone in which Couch "ordered her not to interrupt him," she told police.
On Oct. 6, Couch approached Macer at a public community event, where he appeared to be acting "crazy," Hubbs wrote in the affidavit. Wayne Township Constable William Newman was at the event and told Hubbs later that he believed Couch was acting unstable.
Further investigation by police revealed Couch was a previous patient at Logansport State Psychiatric Hospital, and was charged in October 2005 with felony stalking.
When police arrived at Couch's apartment Oct. 9, they found him sleeping on his floor amid hundreds of business cards that said he was a state representative.
Before transporting Couch to the Marion County Jail, police allowed him to use the bathroom in his apartment. Afterward, he refused to be cuffed and grabbed the toilet lid cover and threw it at the arresting officers. He was subdued with a Taser and ultimately surrendered.
"I am in jail at this time due to the fact that I cannot afford this bond," Couch wrote in a letter to The Indianapolis Star, claiming his bond had been set at $60,000. "I am 'Not Guilty.' "
In the letter, Couch said the charges that have been brought against him are "continued harassment, intimidation, and hatred by the Macer family."
In July, Couch filed a report with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department that said "Brad Macer" harassed him for calling his wife. "Kaylee Macer" was listed in the report as a person involved in the incident. The man and woman Couch may have been referring to were Chad and Karlee Macer, investigators said.
Karlee Macer met Couch on April 15 at the Liberty Tax Services center in the 5900 block of Crawfordsville Road, where he worked part time in client services, according to court documents. The Macers had filed their annual taxes in February at the center, which gave Couch access to all of their personal information. When Macer visited the center in April, Couch approached her and said he knew everything about her. He was adamant, Macer told police, that she fully understand how much he knew about her background.
Kazem Tabatabai, owner of three Liberty Tax Services branches, including the one where Couch was employed, told investigators that Couch "did not behave normal." After the incident with Macer, Tabatabai said, he fired Couch, telling police that client confidentiality was his business's highest priority.
On top of the felony stalking charge, Couch is facing forgery charges. One alleges that he had 11,000 business cards printed indicating he was the state representative in District 92, which covers Wayne and Pike townships. The second forgery charge indicates Couch fraudulently filled out his candidacy application, citing an address in the 8800 block of Jackson Street as his current residence.
In his original application for candidacy, Couch failed to disclose his criminal history.
This story will be updated.
Call Star reporter Michael Anthony Adams at (317) 444-6123. Follow him on Twitter: @MichaelAdams317.