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Show A-16 The Park Record Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, March 30-April 2, 2019 Hawaii man suspected in case of‘extreme stalking’ Family: 500 visits the result of spoofed phone calls BRADY MCCOMBS Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah family that says it has been inundated with hundreds of unwanted service providers unwittingly sent to their home over the past seven months has a court-ordered protective injunction against a man in Hawaii, but police have yet to arrest him and won’t say if he’s a suspect. North Salt Lake Police Sgt. Mitch Gwilliam acknowledged Wednesday that the Jan. 28 injunction granted by a Utah state judge is related to the case, but said he can’t comment about whether Loren Okamura of Honolulu, Hawaii, is a suspect, citing an ongoing investigation. Nobody has been arrested. The hoax texts and phone calls that appear to come from Walt Gilmore and lead people to his house in the quiet, middle-class neighborhood in a Salt Lake City suburb have not stopped since the protective order was issued Jan. 28, directing Okamura not to contact the family, Gilmore and Gwilliam said. Details of the injunction request are sealed court documents, but Judge James Blanch said in his order he found reason to believe that Okamura had stalked the Gilmores. Okamura didn’t return a phone Post your best shots on Instagram with the hashtag: #ParkCityPics and we’ll put the best ones in The Park Record! call seeking comment or answer at an address listed for him in Honolulu. Gwilliam said investigators in Utah haven’t ruled out the possibility that more than one person is responsible. They are in contact with police in Honolulu and elsewhere as part of an investigation he said detectives hope will be concluded soon. Sandra Yi Barker, FBI spokeswoman in Utah, said she couldn’t confirm or deny if the agency is investigating the case. Honolulu Police spokeswoman Sarah Yoro says the department has been contacted but said there is “no further information at this time.” It’s unknown why the Gilmores are being targeted or what if any relationship exists between Okamura and the Gilmore family. Gilmore told The Associated Press on Tuesday he can’t discuss why a protective order was sought against Okamura but he is sure the extreme stalking is not random. He said the stalker uses phone calls and texts to send people to his home for legitimate services and illegal activities. He estimates about 500 people have knocked on his door since August. People have arrived saying they were called to provide electrical, plumbing, tree-trimming, and towing services, Gilmore said. Some have arrived in the middle-class neighborhood for illegal purposes including drugs and prostitution. This week, two teenagers who had driven from Idaho arrived at the house to sell Gilmore fishing equipment for more than $100 per an agreement made on an online classified ad site, he said. Last weekend, he said a man with a health condition arrived to be driven to Portland after Gilmore supposedly responded to a Craig’s List ad seeking someone to help him make the drive. “He was really upset,” Gilmore said. “He needed someone to drive with him.” Two prostitutes arrived in the neighborhood in recent weeks before realizing they had been hoaxed. One woman emerged from a cab wearing little clothing and smoking a cigarette, said Gilmore, who lives at the house with his wife, some adult children and grandchildren. “It’s scary to know the type of people who are in our neighborhood,” Gilmore said. A police car is now parked outside around the clock and Gilmore has put up a large yellow sign in the driveway with “ALERT” in big red letters. Below it says, “If you have been asked to provide any services to this address such as a car tow, home repair, locksmith, plumbing, food deliveries or anything else, please call the North Salt Lake Police.” And at the bottom in bold letters: “We are all victims of this scam.” Gilmore said he hopes an arrest is made soon. “He’s a con man to the nth degree,” Gilmore said. “This is something that no family, no person or neighborhood should have to endure, this type of abuse for seven straight months. The law should look at that and divvy out equal justice.” SUV kills girl riding scooter Police: Driver not expected to be charged in death ASSOCIATED PRESS VINEYARD — Authorities say a 6-year-old Utah girl was killed after she collided with an SUV while she rode her battery powered scooter in a neighborhood. Utah County Sheriff Sgt. Spencer Cannon said in a news release Thursday that Annie Gonzalez was struck Wednesday afternoon while she came down an incline on her scooter into the path of an SUV. Cannon says investigators don’t think the SUV driver was negligent or careless and he has tested negative for drugs and alcohol. The driver is not expected to be charged. The girl died at the scene after suffering injuries to her head and upper body. Vineyard is a city of about 6,000 people located about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City near Orem. FEEL AT HOME, IN THE HEART OF IT ALL. COMING SOON 44 luxurious ski-in townhomes located in the heart of Canyons Village. Each townhome features a spacious floorplan with 4 – 5 bedrooms; a 2-car, private garage; timeless, contemporary finishes; all in a serene setting. For more information please contact Sheila Hall 435-640-7162 or Tony Miller 435-901-9126. Register for updates and current information on our website. TheRidgeAtCanyonsVillage.com 2019 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity. Information not verified or guaranteed. Floor plans, sketches, drawings, layouts, specifications and representative photography for The Ridge are preliminary in nature, contain general descriptions only and are subject to change without notice. SHEILA HALL TONY MILLER ASSOCIATE BROKER ASSOCIATE BROKER |