By Tiffany Flournoy
Thursday a Webster Parish court upheld a temporary restraining order sought by a Cotton Valley resident against Cotton Valley Police Chief William “Bill” Ingersoll, extending it until additional testimony is heard on Jan. 22.
During a civil hearing Thursday, Jessica Sublett told the court that Ingersoll sexually assaulted and stalked her and retaliated against a renter in her home.
Roughly two hours of testimony and questioning were heard in the civil proceeding.
Ingersoll remained mostly silent, speaking only in whispers to his attorney, Eric Johnson. Sublett is representing herself. Ingersoll, through his attorney, invoked his Fifth Amendment right shortly after Sublett mentioned during her testimony that she had contacted Louisiana State Police regarding his alleged behavior. Sublett said Louisiana State Police has opened an investigation into the matter. She also said she contacted the state ethics board, which has scheduled a hearing for January.
“The allegations against Chief Ingersoll are false. He looks forward to answering these charges while protecting and serving the citizens of Cotton Valley as their elected chief of police,” Johnson told the Webster Parish Journal.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the court’s hearing officer, Melissa Fox also amended the initial temporary order, restoring Ingersoll’s right to carry a firearm in his official capacity as police chief. She also noted that he would not be in violation of the order while performing his official duties as an elected police chief by attending town hall or council meetings or responding to emergencies, even if he is within 100 yards of Sublett.
Sublett told the Webster Parish Journal that Ingersoll violated the initial Dec. 4 order that prohibited him from carrying a firearm.
“He never stopped carrying his weapon. So the order never affected him because he didn’t adhere to its lawfulness…,” Sublett said.
The order stems from a petition filed by Sublett on Dec. 4 in Webster District Court, alleging sexual assault and stalking. Sublett alleges Ingersoll made inappropriate comments and engaged in unwanted touching of her upper body. She also alleges Ingersoll refused her attempts to file incident reports related to safety concerns near her home.
Sublett further alleges that Ingersoll entered her home without consent through a closed but unlocked door. Testifying Thursday, she said that, in her view, Ingersoll retaliated against a renter living in her home after she raised complaints. The renter, a Cotton Valley police officer and Webster Parish sheriff’s deputy, is facing termination from Cotton Valley Police Department , according to Sublett.
She said Ingersoll initiated the move. The town has since tabled the termination matter, she said.