Indiana man accused of shooting neighbor over lawn mowing dispute faces charges: Police
Law enforcement in Central Indiana arrested a man they said shot his neighbor over the weekend after an altercation between the men involving mowing the grass.
The shooting took place in Browns Valley, an unincorporated community in Montgomery County about 55 miles northwest of Indianapolis, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Timothy Florence, 53, of Crawfordsville, was booked into jail on Sunday night, the sheriff’s office's online records show.
Florence is charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery by means of a deadly weapon, and battery resulting in serious bodily injury, according to online Montgomery County Circuit Court records.
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According to the sheriff's office, just after 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday, deputies responded to Florence's neighbor's home for a report of a shooting.
The victim, Florence's 55-year-old neighbor, was shot once with a handgun while riding his lawn mower, according to a press release from the sheriff.
First responders from several agencies arrived prior to police arrival to treat the victim, according to the release, who was taken by medical helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries.
His condition was listed as stable on Tuesday, officials said.
According to the release, Florence told deputies he was in fear of his life and shot Evans one time.
Deputies arrested Florence at the scene and said the shooting remained under investigation on Tuesday.
Video reportedly shows victim and suspect blowing grass at one another before shooting
Video shot by a witness, WXIN-TV reported, shows Florence holding a leaf blower near the victim as he rode "a zero-turn riding lawn mower" near his property line.
Footage shows the victim "blowing cut grass off his property" and Florence use the leaf blower to shoot it back toward his neighbor, the TV station reported. The video shows Florence allegedly point the leaf blower at the victim and blow air at him.
At one point, the victim mows in Florence’s direction and nearly hits his neighbor's leg, "causing him to step aside and blow air at the victim again," deputies wrote in court documents obtained by the outlet. Florence then "went behind the mower to the other side of the victim, drew a handgun from his holster and shot the victim."
When interviewed by deputies, Florence's wife told officers she was inside the couple's home when the shooting took place, the outlet reported, and that she walked outside and heard her husband say, “Get in the house, I just shot (the victim).”
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No contact order issued, Florence remains in jail
During a court hearing Tuesday, online records show, a Montgomery Circuit Court judge issued a $10,000 bond for Florence as well as instructed him not to contact the victim.
USA TODAY has reached out to Florence's attorney and Montgomery County Circuit Court.
Online records show Florence remained jailed Tuesday afternoon.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.