Man, 82, arrested for threatening landscapers

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – Vincent Pelliccione, 82, spent Friday night in jail after police say he threatened to kill a group of lawn care workers outside his home at Olympia Pointe near Lehigh Acres.

It all started when Pelliccione says he came home Friday morning and found the oak tree in his front yard had been chopped down.

“It’s on private property. I had not given anyone permission to cut that tree down, but they cut it down. I was outraged. I was completely berserk,” said Pelliccione Monday, speaking only to WINK News.

According to the police report, one of the landscapers took cover behind a mailbox stand and called 911 as Pelliccione stood in his upstairs window pointing a shotgun.

“Yes I was holding the guns and they could see the guns of course, and they were concerned, of course they were afraid after I set off a firecracker. I got their attention, and they kept their distance… I never pointed a shotgun at anyone,” said Pelliccione.

One of the landscapers told police that Pelliccione at one point said, “Get off my property or I’ll [expletive] kill you.”

“I did not say no such thing,” said Pelliccione.

Police responded and took Pelliccione into custody. No one was hurt.

Pelliccione blames the homeowners association for his tree being cut down, and says they’ve since offered to replace it with a new one.

“They were here, very apologetic, ‘We’re sorry that this happened, it’s a big mistake’ – it was not a mistake it was just plain treachery,” said Pelliccione.

WINK News reached out to the homeowners association, but they told us they had no comment.

Pelliccione faces aggravated assault charges.

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