Compliance officer breaks into woman's home to yell at her over state of her lawn
610 WTVN website ^ |When the woman called 911 a deputy wasn’t sent because the compliance officer is a county employee.
A Georgia homeowner allegedly awoke to an unusual scene on July 2 — a county code compliance officer yelling at her over the state of her lawn from the doorway of her bedroom.
“I woke up, I didn’t have my glasses on or my contacts in and all I see is this big burly figure standing in my doorway,” Erica Masters explained. “A big huge guy with a grey shirt. It scared the mess out of me.”
She elaborated: “[He] yelled at me to wake me up, to let me know that I needed to come back outside and sign the violation notice,” informing her that her grass was too long.
“I could have been coming fresh out of the shower. I mean, if I’m not answering the door, maybe it’s because I can‘t hear you because I’m in the shower,” she later pointed out.
To top it off, the whole scene can be viewed on Masters’ home surveillance cameras.
Code Enforcement Officer Walks Into Home (Yells at Sleeping Woman to Mow Her Lawn)
WJBF.com ^ |
Code Enforcement Officer Walks Into Home
Monday morning, Erica Masters was sleeping in her bed when Columbia County Code Compliance Officer Jimmy Vowell came to serve a violation notice for her grass being too long. Erica caught the whole incident on tape.
"He let himself in and actually came through the house and into my bedroom. And yelled at me to wake me up, to let me know that I needed to come back outside and sign the violation notice."
Erica says she was freaked out seeing a stranger in her doorway.
"I woke up, I didn't have my glasses on or my contacts in and all I see is this big burly figure standing in my doorway. A big huge guy with a grey shirt. It scared the mess out of me."
After the incident, Erica called the Sheriff's Office to file a complaint against Jimmy Vowell. The Columbia County Environmental Compliance Manager, Mike Anderson, says he is aware of the complaint and that his office is investigating it. He also went on to say that his Code Compliance Officers cannot enter someone's home without their permission, and that even if they had probable cause to enter, they would still need to be escorted by a Law Enforcement Officer. Erica feels as though her privacy was invaded by the county.
"I could have been coming fresh out of the shower. I mean, if I'm not answering the door, maybe it's because I can't hear you because I'm in the shower."
She also worries about the safety of the man who served the violation.
"He didn't even have a concern for his own safety, walking into someone's house, and just trying to get their attention when they could very well be an armed and dangerous person."
Erica says she isn't sure if she's going to press charges against Jimmy Vowell. For now, she's going to work on getting her lawnmower fixed.
"I do understand that my yard needs to be cut. I understand that. I have no problem with that. I understand them having to serve a violation notice, but the way they handled it was completely unacceptable."
610 WTVN website ^ |When the woman called 911 a deputy wasn’t sent because the compliance officer is a county employee.
A Georgia homeowner allegedly awoke to an unusual scene on July 2 — a county code compliance officer yelling at her over the state of her lawn from the doorway of her bedroom.
“I woke up, I didn’t have my glasses on or my contacts in and all I see is this big burly figure standing in my doorway,” Erica Masters explained. “A big huge guy with a grey shirt. It scared the mess out of me.”
She elaborated: “[He] yelled at me to wake me up, to let me know that I needed to come back outside and sign the violation notice,” informing her that her grass was too long.
“I could have been coming fresh out of the shower. I mean, if I’m not answering the door, maybe it’s because I can‘t hear you because I’m in the shower,” she later pointed out.
To top it off, the whole scene can be viewed on Masters’ home surveillance cameras.
Code Enforcement Officer Walks Into Home (Yells at Sleeping Woman to Mow Her Lawn)
WJBF.com ^ |
Code Enforcement Officer Walks Into Home
Monday morning, Erica Masters was sleeping in her bed when Columbia County Code Compliance Officer Jimmy Vowell came to serve a violation notice for her grass being too long. Erica caught the whole incident on tape.
"He let himself in and actually came through the house and into my bedroom. And yelled at me to wake me up, to let me know that I needed to come back outside and sign the violation notice."
Erica says she was freaked out seeing a stranger in her doorway.
"I woke up, I didn't have my glasses on or my contacts in and all I see is this big burly figure standing in my doorway. A big huge guy with a grey shirt. It scared the mess out of me."
After the incident, Erica called the Sheriff's Office to file a complaint against Jimmy Vowell. The Columbia County Environmental Compliance Manager, Mike Anderson, says he is aware of the complaint and that his office is investigating it. He also went on to say that his Code Compliance Officers cannot enter someone's home without their permission, and that even if they had probable cause to enter, they would still need to be escorted by a Law Enforcement Officer. Erica feels as though her privacy was invaded by the county.
"I could have been coming fresh out of the shower. I mean, if I'm not answering the door, maybe it's because I can't hear you because I'm in the shower."
She also worries about the safety of the man who served the violation.
"He didn't even have a concern for his own safety, walking into someone's house, and just trying to get their attention when they could very well be an armed and dangerous person."
Erica says she isn't sure if she's going to press charges against Jimmy Vowell. For now, she's going to work on getting her lawnmower fixed.
"I do understand that my yard needs to be cut. I understand that. I have no problem with that. I understand them having to serve a violation notice, but the way they handled it was completely unacceptable."
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