Lawmaker’s Father Rearrested for Allegedly Violating Protective Order

LONGVIEW — An East Texas lawmaker’s father has been arrested again, just three days after being arrested on a stalking charge. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report Benny Paddie, father of District 9 state Rep. Chris Paddie, remained in the Gregg County Jail, charged with violation of a protective order. Bond was set at $25,000 by Justice of the Peace Tim Bryan. Paddie was arrested at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday by Longview police after bonding out of jail Thursday. He was previously arrested 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 had called police 28 times in the previous six months to report him stalking her at her home. Nine reports had been filed in the 30 days leading up to the original arrest. 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 Wednesday 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.