Bath man arrested and released for stalking twice hours apart

In Bath a local man was arrested twice in a single day for stalking and breaching an order of protection against his former partner. William Balcer, 42, encountered law enforcement interventions on March 15, as reported by the Village of Bath Police Department. The initial complaint led officers to the woman’s apartment around 3:30 p.m., where Balcer was accused of persistently knocking on her door and issuing threats despite her demands for him to cease contact.

Balcer’s first arrest charged him with fourth-degree stalking, a class B misdemeanor. Following a court appearance, he was released without bail but under a stay away order of protection, which he violated the same night by returning to the woman’s residence. This led to his second arrest for criminal contempt in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor.

After being processed for the second violation, Balcer was again released without bail. He is now due to appear in Bath Village Court to answer both charges. This incident underscores the challenges of enforcing orders of protection and the ongoing issues surrounding domestic disturbances.