Jim SummervilleNASHVILLE - Outgoing state Sen. Jim Summerville is facing stalking and assault charges, a month after being arrested for public intoxication.
Lt. Todd Christian with the Dickson Police Department told The Associated Press on Sunday that Summerville was arrested Friday night on a stalking charge filed by a neighbor and released on bail. Christian said Summerville was arrested again on Saturday for assault after threatening the same neighbor. He was released on $10,000 bond.
In September, Summerville was charged with public intoxication after police said he sat in several residents' yards drinking.
As for the latest charges, Christian didn't provide details.
Summerville said in a statement that he's being harassed and plans to sue the Dickson Police Department.
"The City of Dickson Police Department is engaging a systematic campaign of harassment," he said. "(Stalking! At my age?) Once these charges are resolved in court, I shall be suing the City of Dickson. Settlement negotiations will start at one million dollars."
Summerville resigned from the Republican Caucus in August after a loss in the Aug. 7 election primary. His term ends following the Nov. 4 general election.
His behavior and controversial legislation have made headlines on several occasions during his term.
Last year, he proposed a measure to eliminate affirmative action initiatives from higher education institutions in Tennessee. After the legislation failed, Summerville threatened GOP lawmakers who voted against it, saying they would face repercussions in this year's election.
Summerville also was heavily criticized for an email he sent insulting the Legislature's black caucus.
In the email to then-black caucus chairwoman Barbara Cooper, he wrote: "I don't give a rat's ass what the black caucus thinks."
The email was sent after the caucus issued a news release critical of a hearing, led by Summerville, that looked into allegations of grade tampering at Tennessee State University.
Summerville later apologized for the email.