Posted on 07/10/2012 9:04:18 AM PDT by DogByte6RER
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."
Shocked: Erica Masters was asleep when Columbia County Code Compliance Officer Jimmy Vowell entered her Martinez, Georgia, home without permission
More coverage ...
Officer marches into woman’s home and yells at her to wake up because her grass is too long
When agents of the state feel that it is OK to enter someones home over lawn compliance, just wait till they get hold of your medical records.
BAM!
Maybe even...
BAM! BAM!
Really wakes up and puts on glasses.... BANG! BANG! BANG!
I'd be in jail.
/johnny
This sounds like a possible molester. Like we’ll forget about your grass if you give me some whoopee.
I'd say shoot and ask questions later...
Wasn’t BTK a code enforcement officer?
No lawnmower pollution, less CO2 from the lawnmower operator, better water retention, less erosion, better wildlife habitat, etc.
I had a “word” with a neighbor of mine who had a habit of just “walking in” my house. He’s a good guy, but I explained to him that everybody here have personal weapons either ON them or within arms reach and to startle an occupant may not be the “safest” thing to do. We live in a rural place. He finally got the “hint” one night when he was walking around my back yard after dark. No joke...he’s a really good guy. One of the best neighbors I’ve ever had....and not a mean bone in his body. My wife spotted “somebody” out back from the kitchen window and it was nearly dark. That evening when he realized that three people were all within 20 yards with radios and guns, he got the “hint”. :-) I told him he should be grateful to my son who ID’d him from the back porch steps with a cope on top of a Remington M-700 custom (.308).... because in the low light, I couldn’t tell WHO he was. :-)
My wifee’s plan is to quit shootin when they quit floppin. I approve!
There’s a reason why God gave men knuckles, to knock on doors!
Walk in without an ident? BANG!
/johnny
I would file charges.
He is lucky, the woman had every right to shoot him.
His employer should fire his a$$.
Yep, the BTK killer was a compliance officer
Exactly -- she should just tell the city that she is going green with the feds blessing.
Too much Tetrahydrocannabinol in long grass....
/johnny
I believe there’s a cure for trespass, and, it’s call an auto shot gun — 5 in the tube and 1 in the chamber. Heck, even I can miss inside a house!
He’d have been one dead compliance officer in Michigan.
If he wasn’t dead, he’d be needin some new shorts.
He would have been one dead MF if he did that in my house..................
No you wouldn’t be in jail, but you would have to have a long talk with the cops...................
I’m disappointed that he at least didn’t suffer a flesh wound...
"He worked for a time in the meat department of Leekers IGA "
“Family” can walk in... but even they make noise because they KNOW better. I like this guy, and he’s a good neighbor, but he’s not “family”. :-)
K.I.S.S. at its best.
What possible probable cause could an "Environmental Code Enforcement Officer" present to a judge?
And then we are going to get law enforcement involved?
Really?
I thought we needed more police on the street.
Bingo, yes Dennis Rader (BTK) was a compliance officer. He was also my first thought when reading this article.
Shoot first, ask questions later.
Columbia County fired him yesterday afternoon...
Definitely press charges.
File a lawsuit against the city,this code “officer”,and his supervisor.
Any non-government person would have been arrested.
The concept of private property is being eroded.
No you wouldn’t be in jail, but you would have to have a long talk with the cops...................
might wana check with Gorge Zimmerman on that..
The value of a home defence pistol/shotgun. I’d have shot the son of a bitch, then gone to the kitchen and put a butcher knife in his cold dead hand.
” File a lawsuit...”
At least get enough to hire a lawn guy/gal.
(you like my PC’ness?)
Code enforcement “officers” are even lower on the evolutionary scale than parking enforcers.
I'd take "Get up! Run for your life!! The volcano is erupting!!" .... or similar variants ....as acceptable excuses.
"Get up and mow your lawn!". Nope. Doesn't qualify for the "WBill Panic Button".
Not if I were on the jury....I’d say it was panicked, uncontrollable sustained fire.
Didnt the BTK killer in Kansas have that same job, monitoring codes, lawns, etc? And wasnt he supposed to be unusually obnoxious by reputation?
I’ll tell you what his intentions were. He knew she lived there and went in to threaten a violation, unless she gave him sex. He’d be dead if he walked in while I was sleeping.
I was thinking the same thing.. He probably checked her out in the computer system. Maybe got her DL info so he knew what she looked like/weighed and all the “stats” and also knew no one else lived at the same address..
If she was closer, I’d go mow her lawn for her just so she does not have to deal with the next guy they send over.
He sounds like the BTK killer. Little man with big ego and the power of the government. He needs to try that in Texas.
I'm very blessed to be in a neighborhood like this.
/johnny
You’re right. Or maybe he was just going to steal a few things because he thought she wasn’t home.
Lock the bedroom door.
Load the gun.
Mow the lawn.
Life is just not that difficult.
But, does this sort of thing ever happen in Kennesaw, Georgia?
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