Rifle Pulled On Lawn Service Worker For Blocking Driveway: Police

CLEARWATER, FL — The Clearwater Police Department is continuing to investigate a dispute Thursday in which a Clearwater man armed himself with a rifle.

The police department said it will be seeking a review by the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office on possible charges of aggravated assault with a firearm.

According to police, the incident occurred Thursday morning in the 1300 block of Boylan Avenue. Jeremy Lee was doing yard work across the street and neighbor David Berry, 44, got into an argument with him because Lee's trailer ramp was partially blocking Berry’s driveway.

After the two argued, Lee and his adult daughter said Berry retrieved an AR-15-style rifle from his home and pointed it at Lee, police said.

The daughter videotaped Berry pointing the rifle at Lee. When questioned, police said Berry claimed Lee threatened him.

“We are actively investigating this incident and will be presenting the case to the office of the state attorney,” said Police Chief Dan Slaughter. “The bottom line is a dispute over parking should never have escalated to something like this. If you have a problem with someone partially blocking the driveway, you call the police. You don’t grab a gun like some vigilante.”

Police are seeking any additional witnesses to the incident.