Classic Landscaping company came to the condominiums where I live to clean the parking lot of sand and gravel from the winter.
The sound of landscaping equipment woke me up at 8:00am on April 1st 2003. I looked outside my window and saw a worker with a motorized sweeper less than 1 foot from my new vehicle.
There were 2 other workers in the same parking lot of my vehicle with back pack leaf blowers. I went down stairs, opened my front door and yelled out to one of the workers. He didn't hear me. I yelled out again trying to get his attention and he turned around and looked.
Still having his equipment running as well as the other 2 in the parking lot I said "hey, first of all it's 8:00am in the morning and second can you at least let me move my truck so it doesn't get damaged?" The young kid looked at me and walked away.
I went back in the house to get dressed and figured I would just leave and take my dog for a hike hoping they would be done when I got back. I got dressed, grabbed my dog and put her in my truck.
I then looked at the front of my truck only to notice pits in the front bumper. I was then upset and went back into the house to grab my camera.
I came back out and took pictures of the front of my truck as well as the clouds of dust in the parking lot the landscapers were creating. I then got in my truck and was ready to leave when 2 completely different men approached my vehicle as I was backing out of my parking space.
They asked if there was a problem and I said I was upset right now about my vehicle and didn't care to speak with them on the matter. As I started to drive away one of the men that approached my car yelled out I called the police.
I started to leave and then decided to pull over. I waved to the 2 men and asked OK, what did you call the police for? They couldn't hear me because of all the equipment running. I then walked towards them until we met in the middle and asked again, what did you call the Police for.
One of the men said to me that I threatened one of his workers and the police were on there way. I told him that I did no such thing and explained to him what I said about being 8:00am in the morning and asked if I could move my truck. He then said no, you threatened one of my guys and the police are on their way.
He then said he called Elite Management Company of Farmington, CT and spoke with a Mary Lou who advised them to call the Police if someone was threatening his worker. I told him OK, I'll wait for the Police to arrive and we'll clear this whole thing up.
The East Windsor Police showed up within a couple of minutes as well as a BMW, which seemed to be the owner of the Landscaping Company. The guy in the BMW stayed in his car and the Police Officer approached the BMW and started joking with him, they obviously new each other.
The Police Officer then asked me for my Drivers License which was in my truck. I asked him if I could just let my dog back in the house and I'll bring him my license. He said OK.
I reversed my truck back to my parking space, let my dog in the house, and went back outside to the Police Officer to give him my license.
He said with a stern tone; got your license, let me have it. I gave him my license and he put it in his shirt pocket, told me to turn around and put my hands against the car (his Police Car). I asked what for and he said just do it.
So I did and he handcuffed me and put me in the back seat. I asked again, what did I do and aren't you going to listen to what I have to say. The Officer ignored me.
The Officer then got in the car and started asking me questions about where I'm from, have I ever been arrested etc. He never read me my rights or told me what I did to get arrested.
So we arrived at the Police station where he put me in a 3X5 cage and started processing paper work. I asked again what I did wrong and this time he said that I threatened someone and witnesses confirmed.
I said witnesses confirmed, there were 2 other men in the parking lot both running backpack leaf blowers and were more than 50 feet away, how could they hear anything! He said I don't want to hear it.
The Officer then asked me several questions again all pertaining to have I ever been arrested. He asked if I was arrested for a broken tail light in East Windsor and many others as he was typing away at what looked to be a database for records.
He then started asking me my parents names and starting entering that in the computer. I then asked OK, so if I lie and say that my neighbor just threatened me, I can call the Police and they're going to come down and arrest them like your doing to me. He then seemed aggravated and said "I'm not going to get into this with you".
I was then asked to come out of the cage and the officer took my finger prints and picture. About 45 minutes later I was released and had a court date to appear at Enfield Court.
I walked home and called the Elite Management Company and spoke with Mary Lou and explained my story. She said it wasn't her problem.
I then said to Mary Lou I would like to file a complaint about the Landscaping Company. She said you just did. I asked how, she said you told me and that's good enough.
I said I would like to file a written complaint and she said you can email me.
I then called the condo association board and left a message. The President of the board (who lives in our complex) called me back later that night.
I explained my story and she said well, I don't know what to tell you, we've never had any problems with Classic Landscaping. I said can I file a complaint, she said to call Elite Management Co.
So now I had to retain a lawyer for $1500.00 which I had to borrow, my court date is tomorrow May 6th, I'm unemployed and definitely do not need this on my record especially considering the line of work I'm in - Information Technology!
Now I need to explain to a potential employer that I was arrested for "Threatening", I'll never get a job now!!!
Also, last week, the same guy that lied about me threatening him walks by my parking lot and flips me off! Today, another Classic Landscaping employee points to me and laughs.
Now I have to worry about this company every time they come to cut our lawns during the summer? What shall I do, just stay in the house or try and find a new place to live?
What the hell is this world coming to? I now have a paranoia to leave my house when the Landscapers are there and I definitely lost all respect for Police Officers! (I bet Classic Landscapers cut the Officers Lawn!)
At the least I want my money back that I had to borrow in order to retain a lawyer. I also want others to know this story because it could just as easily happen to you!
I would love nothing more than to see this company out of business and the Police Officer to lose his job but we know that'll never happen.
0 comments