A 24-year-old man was charged Wednesday afternoon with harassment by electronic communication.

The Evanston man was arrested for sending a text message that expressed an intent to harm a 23-year-old Skokie woman, Evanston police Cmdr. Ryan Glew said.

The day before the man was arrested, officers responded to a call of disturbance at Washington Elementary School, 914 Ashland Ave.

While at the school, officers spoke with the principal, who said that a male parent, the Evanston man, was causing a disturbance. Officers made contact with the father and the Skokie woman, the mother of the Evanston man’s children.

Glew said the Department of Children and Family Services had been involved with the couple and had advised the mother to not release their children to the Evanston man. While at Washington Elementary School, the Evanston man was told he was not welcome on the school’s property, Glew said. The man tried to convince his children to leave the school and caused a disturbance while attempting to enter the building.

The man was verbally abusive to officers but followed their orders to leave the grounds, Glew said. He then sent the threatening text message to the mother of the children.

The man was arrested the next day and charged with harassment by electronic communication.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @colinbphoto