A 56-year-old man faces charges after a woman told Pottsville police that he repeatedly followed her while she walked her dog, including an early Tuesday encounter in which she pepper sprayed him.
Police were dispatched to the sidewalk outside Pottsville Tobacco & Hookah at 10 N. Centre St. around , for a report that a woman had pepper sprayed a man.
Woman Reports Being Followed for Several Blocks
The 72-year-old woman told police that the man, identified as Johnathan Wampole, had followed her for several blocks, spoken to her and attempted to pet her dog.
She said she went to the Centre Street business because she expected other people to be there and was afraid of what Wampole might do.
When Wampole approached and attempted to touch her dog, the woman warned him to stay away or she would pepper spray him, according to the police account. She said she sprayed him after he attempted to touch the dog again.
Woman Describes Previous Encounters
The woman also told police that Wampole had followed her during dog walks on the previous two nights despite her repeated requests that he stay away.
She said the encounters caused her to fear leaving her home and led her to carry pepper spray.
According to police, the woman said Wampole blamed her after his dogs were taken by Pottsville Animal Control following an earlier incident involving her dog.
Stalking and Harassment Charges Filed
Wampole was charged with one misdemeanor count of stalking and one count each of harassment and disorderly conduct.
He was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker and locked up in Schuylkill County Prison unable to pay 10% of his $15,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 12th, 2026 before Magisterial District Judge James Reiley.
The charges are allegations. Wampole is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.