Closter Man Allegedly Stalked and Harassed Township Woman

Closter resident Hugh Johnson has been accused of stalking and harassing a Washington Township woman.

According to Margaret Koesel, court administrator for the township municipal court, Municipal Court Judge Peter Geiger determined April 7 there was probable cause for the two complaints against Johnson. She said Johnson came into the municipal complex April 8 and when she saw him, she notified township police because she knew he had to be served with the complaints.

Police served Johnson with the complaints and fingerprinted him April 8, according to Koesel. She described Johnson as "very cooperative."

Johnson was told to return to municipal court April 13 for arraignment, but he didn't come, Koesel said. She said she had not gotten word from Johnson or anybody else about why he failed to come to his court date.

Members of the police department brought the complaints to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office in Hackensack, according to Koesel.

The stalking charge is an indictable offense, which Koesel said means it would be heard in Superior Court and could result in jail time. Harassment is a non-indictable offense, which typically means it's heard in municipal court, but since the charges are related, they remain together, Koesel explained.

She said Johnson has no more appearances scheduled in municipal court and that he will likely be arraigned in Superior Court.

A NorthJersey.com report identifies the township woman as the mother of Keith Sager, a former construction official in Closter who has a history of issues with Johnson, and says Johnson called the woman several times from January to March. The report also states that Johnson was convicted in July of harassing a former Closter mayor and faces one count of making terroristic threats after allegedly leaving threatening messages for an Emerson pastor.