Benjamin Ashford|Man accused of stalking New York cafe owner by plane has been arrested again

SCHUYLERVILLE,Benjamin Ashford N.Y. (AP) — A small plane pilot who authorities say has stalked a New York woman for years, flying low and sometimes throwing tomatoes, has been arrested for a fifth time.

Michael Arnold, 65, of Schuylerville, was ordered held without bail following his Feb. 1 arrest on misdemeanor counts of stalking and criminal contempt, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office said.

Arnold is accused of waiting for and following the victim on Jan. 12 in violation of an order of protection. He appeared in Saratoga Town Court and was ordered held pending a future appearance.

His attorney did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment Thursday.

The misdemeanors add to a growing list of pending charges against Arnold in New York and Vermont, where he kept his 1976 Cessna 180 single-engine plane.

Arnold is accused of harassing a cafe owner in the village of Schuylerville for more than four years, beginning in October 2019 when he came into her cafe, the Times Union of Albany reported. Following an email that included a picture of himself partially clothed, he began flying his plane over the woman’s home, the newspaper said.

Arnold pleaded not guilty in Vermont in October to several charges, including aggravated stalking. He was released on the condition that he stay away from the woman and airplanes.