Three weeks after a devastating loss in his bid for a Metro at-large councilman seat, Jason Holleman was arrested Thursday for violating an order of protection.
According to the affidavit, Holleman sent his ex-wife Margaret Martin approximately 30 text messages in the span of three to four hours. According to the affidavit, "these text messages, so far, have not been threatening in nature, but are very upsetting, and 'emotional' to her."
Holleman posted $1,000 bond and was released the same day.
Holleman's personal life tribulations became public knowledge about a year ago after his ex-wife said arguments between the two of them led her to call police on him three times over the better part of a year. In one such incident, she said he threw a lamp at her, according to a police report. Charges were never brought against him.
"Nine months ago, I agreed to give my ex wife an order of protection following a contentious divorce. I hoped that acquiescing to such an action would give us a period of separation and allow us to effectively communicate again," Holleman told Pith in a statement.
"I now regret agreeing to that, and I regret not going back to court in the months that followed to seek dissolution when subsequent circumstances warranted such action. Now, I find myself arrested for sending a single email to her, an email that was in no way threatening or profane," he said.
He later clarified that he meant to say text message and added, "ironically, the text was about how she has damaged me professionally with false accusations."
Once a hopeful for a vacant state Senate seat, he dropped out of that race in 2013 citing concern the effect of serving in the statehouse would have on his family. The term-limited Metro Councilman from Sylvan Park then decided to run for one of five vacant at-large seats. Details of his past troubles with his ex-wife resurfaced during the election, exploited with the help of an anonymous mail piece. While he narrowly made the runoff in August, he came in last in the September election.
Holleman is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, Oct. 13.
