KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A Portage man who is considered a person of interest in his wife’s disappearance appeared in court via video feed Tuesday on an unrelated charge.
Christopher Lockhart was formally charged with operating while intoxicated, one day after his arrest.
The complaint filed by prosecutors says Lockhart violated his bond by allegedly consuming alcohol around 10:10 p.m. Monday. A Portage Department of Public Safety officer pulled over Lockhart for allegedly driving 10 mph over the speed limit on Portage Road.
The officer said that during the traffic stop, he smelled alcohol on or around Lockhart. The officer conducted a sobriety test and arrested Lockhart for operating while intoxicated.
Lockhart pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The judge Tuesday added more restrictions to Lockhart’s $20,000 cash or surety bond. Lockhart will be released to the office of community corrections and must wear a tether which will monitor his alcohol consumption.
Lockhart was arrested on July 6 for allegedly cutting his neighbor’s cable and air conditioning line. He was charged with malicious destruction of property and interfering with electronic communications.
Lockhart is expected back in court at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday for a bond violation hearing.
TWO MONTHS SINCE THERESA LOCKHART WAS LAST SEEN
Authorities previously identified Lockhart as a person of interest in the disappearance of his wife, 44-year-old Theresa Lockhart, who was last seen on May 18.
Theresa Lockhart was reported missing two days later by her employer, Schoolcraft Community Schools. Her car was found a short time later a few miles from her Portage home at a park-and-ride off of Angling Road.
Christopher Lockhart has been called a person of interest by police in his wife’s disappearance. Investigators spent nearly 30 hours searching the couple’s home three weeks after she went missing.
On June 3, Christopher Lockhart told 24 Hour News 8 over the phone that he was not involved in the disappearance of his wife.
He said she had struggled with mental health problems and he didn’t report her missing because he “assumed she was going to get herself some help.” He said she had gone off without telling him before.
Christopher Lockhart has three previous convictions for peeping through windows and one conviction for making obscene phone calls. He was also charged in a domestic violence case involving his wife in November 2016 and pleaded guilty to simple assault.
Anyone with information about where Theresa Lockhart may be is asked to call Portage police at 269.329.4567 or Silent Observer at 269.343.2100.