Florida Man Receives Felony Charges in Leaf Blower Incident
We've all encountered a neighbor that decided to "get a jump on the day" the one time we try to sleep in on a Saturday. It's frustrating, but I usually don't get upset if I'm waking up later than 7:30am to a mower or some other lawn equipment. Apparently, not everyone is the same way.
Investigators in Pinellas County, Florida allege that 51-year-old Curtis Manfred Franz was wearing a bathrobe and gun holster when he appeared outside of his $1.1 million home, irate about a neighbor using a leaf blower at 7:45am.
Officers say shortly before the neighbor saw him, Franz fired seven shots in the air outside of his Largo home. Then, a few minutes later, he appeared in the neighbor's yard in his Tony Soprano-with-a-holster look.
The victim told officers that Franz "then pointed his pistol at the victim’s dog and said, ‘I’m going to shoot your f***ing dog,'" the arrest affidavit reads.
According to the victim, Franz was "wearing a robe and had a black holster on his right hip.” He then turned the gun to the victim and said "“If you keep using your blower I will shoot you too."
When officers made contact with him, Franz was still in the robe and “appeared to be intoxicated by odor and slurred speech.” An investigation turned up seven shell casings near the property line dividing the victim's home and Franz's 1.27 acre lot.
Franz was arrested for aggravated assault, a felony, and discharging a firearm in public, a misdemeanor. Franz posted his bail of $5,150.
He purchased his $1.1 million home was purchased in March 2021. A 4422-square-foot, five bedroom home, built in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Check out the most recent real-estate listing here.
Read more at The Smoking Gun
25 True Crime Locations: What Do They Look Like Today?
More From 97X
