FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Homeowners in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood have been dealing with a squatter for the past few months whose erratic behavior has since escalated into violence.
According to neighbors, the man moved into the neighborhood in December, and since then, Danielle and Ron said his behavior has grown erratic, including knocking on doors at all hours of the night.
“I’m going to be right here laughing at your [expletive] [expletive], and I’ll see your [expletive] in court, and I hope they bury your [expletive] [expletive],” the neighbor said in one video.
Neighbors said the man is squatting, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the homeowner cannot evict him from the home because of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ moratorium.
“Currently, there’s this guy who is a known felon, basically in and out of the jail system for the past 15, 20 years, is squatting, and there’s nothing we can do,” Ron said. “He’s had the cops called on him 23 times. He knocks on our doors at three in the morning and runs away almost every night. It’s been regularly like this for the past six months.”
Then, on Tuesday night, neighbors said the harassing behavior turned violent during a confrontation with other neighbors.
“Y’all want to turn somebody up? You want to have fun? You want to turn on the camera? Did you not learn enough already? What that [expletive] about last time? First of all, what’s your name? What the [expletive] is your name, so don’t call [expletive] me and [expletive],” the man said.
During the man’s outburst, Ron was apparently hit in the face, and Ron then used Mace on the man.
“Punched me in the head, tried to kick me,” Ron said. “I had to spray him with Mace. I’ve never used Mace before in my life, so now, we’re at the police station trying to figure out what to do.”
The couple headed to Fort Lauderdale Police on Wednesday to see if anything could be done after they called police Tuesday night.
“The video that we have watched does appear that a crime was committed,” Fort Lauderdale Police Maj. Frank Sousa said. “However, in the state of Florida, if a battery is committed not in the presence of a police officer, you have to take appropriate actions in filing that case at the State Attorney’s Office.”
As of Wednesday, nothing can be done about the situation.
“Our lives have changed since this,” Danielle said. “Every night, I sleep with my dresser up against my wall. I sleep with a metal bar next to my bed.”
Although the couple got a restraining order against the man weeks ago, because he is squatting, deputies cannot find the man to serve him.
“I do think the neighbors showed extreme restraint by staying on their property, not engaging in that person,” Sousa said. “Obviously, it is a concern. We are aware of the issue.”
Neighbors said the man is growing increasingly bold, and he was found swimming and relaxing in one of the neighbors’ pools.
“It’s just escalating, escalating, escalating, and you don’t know what can happen, which is really scary,” Rachel, a neighbor, said.
Danielle and Ron said they are looking into the possibility of moving out of the neighborhood.
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