A 41-year-old Oak Harbor man charged with stalking and violating court orders is accused of tracking his ex-girlfriend’s whereabouts through her earbuds last year, according to court documents.

Christopher P. Hightower is scheduled to go to trial this week in Island County Superior Court on three counts of stalking, two counts of felony violation of a court order and obstructing a law enforcement officer. Under law, violation of a court order becomes a felony when the defendant has two prior convictions of the charge.

Hightower pleaded not guilty to the charges on March 22, when they were amended for the third time.

A U.S. Secret Service agent is among the witnesses for the prosecution. He will testify about downloading Hightower’s phone and analyzing the data. In all, the trial brief by Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Eric Ohme lists nine witnesses.

Hightower has filed motions to dismiss the case based on an allegation that his constitutional right to a speedy trial was violated. His case is going to trial more than six months after he was originally charged.

The case summary in the trial brief describes a tumultuous relationship between Hightower and the victim that became more volatile over time. After the woman finally ended the relationship and obtained a domestic violence protection order last fall, Hightower allegedly continued to contact her, calling her more than 50 times in one three-day period, according to the brief.

A deputy arrested Hightower in August on suspicion of violating the court order. He was released from jail after posting $25,000 bail. That same day, the victim was having dinner in Seattle with her ex-husband when Hightower allegedly texted him, indicating that he knew they were together, according to the trial brief.

One of Hightower’s family members told the woman that Hightower was tracking her through the “Find My” function on his iPhone, which was linked to her Apple AirPods, Ohme wrote.

A detective will testify at the trial that a forensic download showed that Hightower did locate the woman through the “Find My” app and even took screenshots of her location, the brief states.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Hightower. On Aug. 31, a deputy with the Island County Sheriff’s Office saw Hightower enter a home on Southwest 17th Avenue in Oak Harbor, according to a detective’s report. The deputies texted Hightower, but he claimed to be in Anacortes and refused to come out, the report states.

An arrest team wielding “less-lethal devices” and ballistic shields planned to enter the home with the help of a drone from the Oak Harbor Police Department, according to the deputy report. A deputy used a PA system to issue multiple commands for occupants of the home to exit.

Just as the team and drone entered, Hightower walked down the stairs and was arrested, the report states. The report describes Hightower resisting arrest on the front lawn.

The prosecutor’s motions in limine include a list of Hightower’s domestic violence convictions from 2019 to 2021 in courts in Colorado, Island County and Everett. The convictions include assault in the third degree, two counts of assault in the fourth degree, trespass, criminal mischief and seven different counts for violations of court orders.