Woman alleges former DPS Director Frank Milstead assaulted, stalked her

A woman has filed an order of protection against former Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Frank Milstead alleging he has assaulted, threatened, harassed and stalked her, according to court documents.

Milstead is not allowed to contact the woman or her children, or visit her workplace, home and the school, according to the order of protection filed in June. The documents don't specify whose school.

The woman, who lived with Milstead as a partner, said that in July 2021 he grabbed her by the arms and shook her violently. The petition for the order of protection states this caused her significant bruising, which is allegedly documented in a photo.

"This incident, and several others, caused (the woman) to fear Mr. Milstead to the point that she sought professional psychological counseling and support," court documents state.

Milstead acknowledged the woman's fear in a text message, according to court documents.

In March, Milstead allegedly told her that if she messed with him, she would regret it for the rest of her life. When the woman asked how, he allegedly told her "You just figure it out. You'll know when it happens," according to court documents.

Milstead allegedly told her it wasn't a threat, but a promise, in a recorded conversation, according to court documents.

The petition for the order of protection said the threat should be taken seriously given Milstead's alleged assaults and his training in the use of force. It also said Milstead is always armed.

Milstead's lawyer didn't respond to The Arizona Republic's request for comment by the time of publication.

According to court documents, on several occasions, including one in April, the woman asked Milstead to not contact her or her children, or to visit her home. Milstead allegedly apologized in a text for contacting them and said he knows it is "not wanted."

He still contacts the woman and her children regularly via email, phone, text and in person, according to court documents.

The woman allegedly received about 200 calls, texts, emails and in-person visits from Milstead from April through June. She has at least two videos of uninvited and unannounced visits to her home from Milstead, court documents say.

The petition for the order of protection says Milstead has followed the woman or waited for her to return home. In one instance he allegedly blocked her car in the driveway and forced his way into her house while he was "yelling, gesturing erratically" in reference to an item he believed was in her home.

According to court documents, the woman said Milstead had been drinking, and her sister witnessed the incident.

As of June 24, Milstead allegedly continued reaching out to the woman's children to know where she is or intends to be, according to court documents. He allegedly texted her "There is nothing you have done that I can't forgive you for, but it has to be you and I until death do us part."

Milstead files a lawsuit against the woman

On Sept. 16, Milstead filed a lawsuit against the woman claiming she breached contractual obligations to him regarding property that they shared.

The couple bought a home together in 2019 when they were dating, and they were joint borrowers on the original loan, according to the lawsuit.

Then they refinanced the loan and agreed to remove Milstead from it "only on the explicit assurance that this would not impact (his) interests in the property as reflected on the original loan documents and title," the lawsuit states.

Early in 2022, the relationship ended.

Milstead contributed to mortgage payments and renovations in the home, according to the lawsuit, and he wants an equal interest in the property.

"By enjoying the benefits of the mortgage payments made by (Milstead) and the renovations paid for by (Milstead), while at the same time denying Milstead the benefits of his interest in the property, (the woman) has been unjustly enriched and (Milstead) has been correspondingly impoverished," the lawsuit says.

Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at [email protected] or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former DPS Director Frank Milstead accused of domestic violence