TITUSVILLE, Fla. – A Titusville man accused of stalking and raping a woman in January was arrested Thursday after barricading himself in his home and setting fire to it with SWAT members outside, according to the Titusville Police Department.
James Talbert, 41, got the department’s attention Feb. 5 when a woman contacted police about a sexual battery that occurred Jan. 15, according to an affidavit for an arrest warrant.
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The woman told police that Talbert repeatedly tried to contact her despite her telling him to stop, even applying for a job at the same workplace she had recently been hired at, the affidavit said.
Talbert threatened to share the victim’s nude photos on social media if she didn’t talk to him, police said.
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Talbert drove her from her workplace to his home on Jan. 14, where the two got into a shouting match before going sleep in separate rooms, police said.
The woman said Talbert threatened her with a knife the next day, according to the affidavit. Talbert left to smoke a cigarette and the woman tried to escape the home by jumping from a second-story window, according to police, but was prevented by Talbert. The victim said she tried to leave several more times and eventually gave into Talbert’s advances out of fear, records show.
After the two left the residence, Talbert took the woman’s cell phone to prevent her from calling 911 and warned her not to yell at a passing woman and child for help or else “he would kill everyone,” including her, and would “rape her mother and grandmother,” police said.
Talbert drove the woman to her home and returned her phone. The victim said she tried to cut off contact with him and stay silent about what occurred out of fear, but Talbert sent threatening emails, text messages, voicemails and used fake social media profiles to contact the victim, telling her she would be raped and killed, according to investigators.
Titusville police attempted to make contact with Talbert the night of Feb. 5, but he ran away, records show. On Feb. 9, Talbert admitted to threatening the victim during a controlled phone call with the victim from within the police department.
Talbert was located and arrested Feb. 12 for eluding law enforcement, but was released the next day, records show.
Police filed the affidavit for Talbert’s arrest warrant Feb. 22 and moved to arrest him early that morning, finding him smoking a cigarette outside of his home, according to an arrest report. Talbert ran into the home, barricading himself inside, according to police.
Talbert repeatedly tried to contact the victim, leaving her a voicemail in which he could be heard asking about “a considerable SWAT force” outside, the report said.
Following several hours attempting to get Talbert to exit the home, police said he deliberately attempted to torch it, causing significant damage and prompting the evacuation of three nearby residences.
Talbert was booked into jail Thursday and faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including first-degree arson to an occupied structure, threatening violence, tampering with proceedings, aggravated stalking, sexual battery with a weapon and resisting an officer without violence.
His first appearance in court was scheduled for 1:15 p.m. Friday.