A 71-year-old man residing in White Oak finds himself back in jail for the fourth time, having violated a court order to cease stalking his neighbors.
Earl Mitchell Phillips is currently held without bond after once again breaching the no-stalking order. The saga commenced in June 2022 when Phillips faced a misdemeanor assault charge against a neighbor, leading to a court order prohibiting him from coming within 100 yards of the victim’s residence.
In February 2023, Phillips allegedly returned to the property, resulting in a felony stalking charge. Despite a brief jail stint, he promptly returned to the victim’s residence the day after his release. During this return, Haywood County Sheriff’s Deputy Zach Wood responded to a call, and Phillips reportedly pointed a Ruger .22-caliber revolver at Wood from point-blank range. This incident led to additional charges, including felony stalking, assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer, and resisting an officer.
Upon his release, Phillips was granted bond under strict conditions: no contact with the victims, no alcohol consumption monitored by a continuous alcohol monitoring (CAM) bracelet, prohibition from possessing firearms, and maintaining a 100-yard distance from the victims’ property.
In November 2023, another neighbor reported Phillips for stalking, leading to a warrant for misdemeanor stalking and second-degree trespassing. On Christmas Eve 2023, Phillips allegedly followed the original victims home from church, substantiated by a 911 call and location data collected by the CAM bracelet.
On January 12, 2024, Phillips had his bond revoked, and he is currently detained in the Haywood County Detention Center without bond.
