Wheat Ridge councilman accused of making harassing phone call

Deborah Frazier, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 12, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Local News

A Wheat Ridge city councilman faces harassment charges for calling another council member's employer to complain about her work, the Jefferson County district attorney's office said Friday.

Councilman Terry Womble used a fake name when he called Councilwoman Karen Berry's supervisor at the Colorado Geological Survey, said Pam Russell, spokeswoman for the district attorney.

The caller, who identified himself as Tom Baldy, left a voice message for Berry's supervisor, state geologist Vince Matthews. In the message he said he had tried to call Berry for three months, but she didn't return calls.

"When I call the main office number, nine times out of 10, she's not at her desk," a transcript of the call said. "The other thing she's been caught in several public arenas giving state opinion, which I really feel is your department."

Russell said the call was made on April 17. Womble was charged with misdemeanor telephone harassment on May 2 and will be arraigned on June 22.

"It's so unlikely anyone would investigate a single phone call," Womble, who admitted he made the call, said late Friday. "No physical damage was done. She didn't lose her job. I feel like I'm being attacked."

Berry, an engineering geologist, said she learned about the call on April 20 from Matthews and listened to the voice message.

"I said it doesn't ring true because I don't know a Tom Baldy, and I'd been in the office regularly for the last few months," Berry said.

Berry also said she identified the caller as Womble.

"It took me 10 seconds to figure out who it was," she said. Berry said the receptionist who answers the phones confirmed that there had been no calls from a Tom Baldy.

Berry contacted city officials about the allegations, who turned the case over to the police. Russell said Wheat Ridge police contacted the district attorney.

Wheat Ridge officials declined comment and referred calls to Russell.

"What he did is a grade school bully stunt," Berry said. "He made malicious statements that were untrue."

Berry said she and Womble had clashed at an April council meeting over a pedestrian bridge and marketplace as part of the Wadsworth Boulevard redevelopment.

She said she recommended the pedestrian features, but Womble opposed the plan. The council approved the additional work.

"His actions have wasted a lot of taxpayer dollars," Berry said.

Womble said Berry should have come to him instead of going to the police. "If she had called me, I would have apologized," he said.

frazierd@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5308

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News