Otsego school board member Stephen E. Podewell is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Allegan County District Court.
Podewell, 51, was arraigned Tuesday, April 11, on aggravated stalking charges and pleaded not guilty.
Judge William A. Baillargeon arraigned Podewell, continued his bond and set a preliminary hearing in his court for Tuesday, April 25, at 9 a.m. At the hearing, police and prosecutors will have to show there’s enough evidence he committed the felony for it to be bound over to circuit court for trial.
According to court records, before the arraignment hearing Podewell sent a letter asking for permission to leave the state, attached his resume and asked the judge to throw out the charges before the arraignment. The judge denied that request, court records said.
Podewell, who maintained his innocence in an interview, was arrested in March and charged with the crime. He was also jailed for seven days by Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker for violating a Personal Protective Order taken out by his estranged wife.
Podewell said the couple is battling over custody of their children.
He remains on the Otsego school board.
Contact Dan Pepper at dpepper@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534 or (269) 685-9571
.