Floris Iowa Fire Chief Arrested on Felony Stalking Charge

OLLIE – The Chief of the Floris, Iowa Volunteer Fire Department faces felony charges after authorities say he followed an individual while armed with a firearm. Keith Eugene Waller, 57, of rural Bloomfield, was arrested on Sept. 17 near Ollie, after Keokuk County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a 911 call from a motorist. According to a criminal complaint, Waller had allegedly followed the victim from the City of Ottumwa, until he was pulled over by Chief Deputy Adam Pence.

The complaint alleges that at one point while following the victim, Waller got out of his vehicle while stopped in road construction and approached the victim’s vehicle. “The defendant admitted her had a dangerous weapon, a firearm, on his hip when he approached the victim. The victim was able to drive off and the defendant continued to follow up until I was able to catch up to them,” the complaint states.

The complaint adds that Waller admitted to driving by the victim’s house earlier in the day, before spotting the victim leaving a coffee shop in Ottumwa.

“The defendant made it a point to turn around and follow the victim for several miles, approximately 25 miles, in an attempt to stop and talk to the victim,” the complaint states.

Waller is also charged with possession of a controlled substance, second offense. The charge came after Deputy Pence observed an odor of marijuana in Waller’s vehicle. The criminal complaint adds Pence also observed a hand rolled marijuana joint. When questioned, Waller admitted that there were two additional marijuana joints in his cigarette pack.

Waller was taken into custody and initially held on a $5,000 cash or surety bond. At his initial appearance before District Associate Judge Dan Kitchen, a no-contact order was placed between Waller and the victim.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 28, at 11 a.m. Online court records do not list an attorney for Waller.