East Texas Lawmaker’s Father Arrested on Stalking Charges

LONGVIEW — The father of an East Texas lawmaker has been arrested after Longview police said he was stalking his former girlfriend. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Benny David Paddie, 61, of Longview, remained at last report in the Gregg County Jail on $7,500 bond. Paddie is the father of District 9 state Rep. Chris Paddie of Marshall. Benny Paddie was arrested about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday on the corner of Sequoyah and Fourth streets in Longview. A police report said officers were called to assist Texas Department of Public Safety troopers who found Paddie running along the hedges of a house behind the home of his former girlfriend. According to the report, Paddie’s ex-girlfriend called police 28 times in the past six months to report him stalking her at her home. Nine reports were filed in the past 30 days or so.

The woman told police she ended the relationship with Paddie a year ago and he has continued to harass her at her work, on dates, at church, and at her home. Her neighbors told police they often see Paddie parked in front of their home watching the woman’s house, the police report said. The woman told police she believes Paddie would harm or kill her or her daughter, and police agreed it would have been dangerous to allow Paddie to go free. Paddie was charged with a third-degree felony charge of stalking, which is punishable by up to a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or up to a $10,000 fine. Rep. Chris Paddie declined to comment on his father’s arrest Thursday afternoon.