A 54-year-old Elgin man appeared in Antelope County Court, on April 23. Rowdy L. Burke faces five counts, including two counts of stalking-misdemeanor offense, both Class I misdemeanors; criminal trespass-1st degree, a Class I misdemeanor; fail to obey lawful order, a Class III misdemeanor; and disturbing the peace, a Class III misdemeanor. The charges stem from a March 18 incident that in Elgin.
According to court records, the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center received a phone call from Bailey Todd, stepdaughter of Burke, who said a fight was taking place between Burke and Stephanie Burke at Rowdy Burke’s residence. Their children were present and upset.
Antelope County Deputy Steve Mills arrived on scene first and talked to Stephanie at her residence. She reported she’d been at Burke’s residence because two of the children were there. While at Burke’s house, the Burkes got into a verbal altercation. When she told him she wasn’t interested in a relationship with him, he threatened to call phone numbers he retrieved from her phone and tell them negative things about her character.
Sheriff Bob Moore appeared on scene and was apprised of the situation. He went to Burke’s residence to bring the girls home. Neither Burke nor the girls responded. Mills instructed Stephanie to call Burke’s phone, which went to voice mail. She attempted to call the girls’ phones, which also went to voice mail.
Moore contacted Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith and asked if he would contact Burke’s attorney to see if he could contact him.
Eventually, Rowdy Burke opened the door and allowed entry into the residence. Burke was advised to rinse tobacco out of his mouth and submit to a preliminary breath test. Burke refused, noting he had consumed four or five alcoholic drinks. Moore asked once more, to get a reading for Burke’s probation officer. Burke again refused.
While dispatchers from the ACLEC contacted Moore to call Smith, Mills could be heard yelling at Burke, who ran to Stephanie Burke’s house, yelling at Stephanie and the girls “that Dad is going to jail.” Mills caught Rowdy Burke and placed him in handcuffs.
This wasn’t the first incident ACS officers have responded to calls involving Burke. On Feb. 27, Stephanie Burke contacted the ACLEC, noting she needed an officer at her residence after Rowdy Burke entered her house, yelled at her, pounded on the walls, and said he put a tracker on her phone.
On Feb. 28, Stephanie Burke called 911 about Rowdy’s behavior. He had been “blowing up her phone and texting her with his negative crap.” At that time, Deputy Darin Ternus responded and informed Burke he would be arrested if he was on Stephanie’s property.
During the April 23 entry of plea hearing, defense attorney Martin Klein addressed bond stipulations, especially a no-contact order with his children. Smith requested the mother be present when talking about the situation. Bond, set at $20,000-10%, remains in effect.
