Man is charged with stalking Garner family 12/19/2009 12:35 AM By ANTHONY McCARTNEY Associated Press
LOS ANGELES -- A man arrested outside a school attended by the daughter of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck has been charged with felony stalking and violating a restraining order protecting the family.
Steven Burky, 37, was arrested in Santa Monica on Monday at the nursery school where Violet Affleck, one of the couple's two daughters, is enrolled.
He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Thursday afternoon and was ordered held on $300,000 bail, District Attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison said. A judge also ordered him to stay 500 feet away from Garner, Affleck and their family if released.
A phone message left at a Pennsylvania number listed for Burky was not returned Thursday. Robison said he was represented in court by a public defender.
Burky was charged with two counts of felony stalking and two counts of violating a court order, a misdemeanor. A criminal complaint filed in the case alleges Burky harassed Affleck and Garner and made credible threats that place both "in reasonable fear" for the safety of their family.
Garner was granted a restraining order against Burky in November 2008 after she told the court she believed he posed a threat to her and her family. Garner said Burky had been stalking her since 2002.
The former star of the television series "Alias," Garner has also appeared in films such as "Juno" and "The Kingdom."
Affleck won an Oscar in 1997 with Matt Damon for writing the screenplay to "Good Will Hunting." He and Garner married in June 2005.
Garner, Affleck and their daughter are covered by a restraining order that is due to expire in November 2011. Burky was to stay 100 yards away from the family's cars, homes and schools.
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