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Last updated on Monday, November 27, 2017
(CAPE CORAL, FL) - A Florida woman stalked and left threatening messages for NASCAR driver Tony Stewart and his family for more than a year over anger that he failed to give her an autograph at a race, according to criminal charges filed last week.
WRTV Channel 6 is reporting that 68-year-old Kathi Russell of Cape Coral was taken into custody on Tuesday on felony charges of stalking, terroristic mischief and intimidation for alleged harassment against Stewart from March 2016 through October of this year.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case, Russell made hundreds of anonymous calls to Stewart, as well as his mother and sister throughout that time.
Russell is also accused of placing an anonymous phone call reporting that a plane landing in Fort Worth, Texas, would be transporting narcotics. Investigators determined the plane was occupied by Stewart, and that the call was a false report that came from Russell.
According to the affidavit, Russell told a DEA agent that the harassment started because Stewart declined to sign an item of memorabilia for her at a racing event.
Investigators allege Russell sent an envelope filled with a large amount of an unknown white powdery substances to the Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller LLP, which had sent Russell a notice that she had violated a protective order against her by Stewart's mother.
The envelope caused an Anthrax scare and the evacuation of the Ice Miller building in downtown Indianapolis. The powder was eventually determined to be baking soda.
According to the story, Russell is in Florida awaiting extradition to Indiana.
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