By CHRISTOPHER CURRY
Published September 30, 2004
SILVER
SPRINGS - A simmering dispute in the Lakeview Woods neighborhood boiled over
Tuesday night when the subdivision's developer was charged with aggravated
assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly drove a tractor toward a
resident. Herbert Hein, 47, who is also president of the community's property
owners association and its water and wastewater utility company according to
state records, was later released on $3,000 bond.
Resident Dwight Sessions, 45, said a history of friction with Hein heated up
when the community still did not have water and wastewater services restored
following Hurricane Jeanne. He said late Tuesday night, Hein was in front of his
home revving the engine of the tractor. Sessions said he went outside and a
shouting match followed between the two. He said Hein then drove the tractor at
him and he had to dive out of the way. Sessions said he then retrieved a
baseball bat to protect himself. He threw the bat at the oncoming tractor, he
said, and Hein then dismounted, picked up the bat and started walking toward
him. Hein then left on the tractor with the bat, according to a Sheriff's
report.
Hein denied the allegations. He said Sessions came outside and threatened him
with the baseball bat while he was driving by Sessions' home on the tractor
after working to try and restore on the community's sewer service.
“Mr. Sessions came out of the house and chased me down the street with a
baseball bat and I can't outrun him so I turned the tractor (toward him).”
Three neighbors in the community who witnessed the altercation corroborated
Sessions' version of events, according to a Sheriff's report.
A series of phone messages Sessions left on Hein's answering machine Tuesday
also detailed the dispute. On one message, Sessions said he was angered and
planned to confront Hein, whom he referred to as a “stupid, no good son of a
(expletive)” over the lack of water and sewer service. But, he added later in
the message that there “ain't gonna be no physical” altercation. |