A Peachtree City man on Sept. 14 was arrested at his home on aggravated assault charges following an altercation with a man selling pine straw.
John Ross, 33, of Sturdivant Court, was charged with aggravated assault, according to Peachtree City Police Department spokesman Mark Brown.
Brown said officers at approximately 3:30 p.m. responded to Woodruff Way off Robinson Road in reference to concern citizen’s report of a person walking down the street carrying a rifle with whom they were unfamiliar.
“A concerned citizen was unfamiliar with the subject as living in the neighborhood,” said Brown. “The officers made contact with the subject to check on his welfare. After a brief inquiry, the officers had no further reason to detain the subject and released him.”
Brown said the officers determined that the carrying of the rifle was legal at the time and he was a resident of the neighborhood.
“However, to verify the subject’s explanation of the reasons why he was carrying the rifle in the neighborhood, the officers proceeded to the subject’s residence,” said Brown. “Upon their arrival, they discovered the subject in a violent confrontation with another subject in the residence. The officers entered the residence and detained both subjects.”
A preliminary investigation revealed that upon returning to his residence on Sturdivant Court, a person selling pine straw attempted to sell the product to Ross, Brown said.
“(Ross) invited the pine straw salesman to come inside his residence,” said Brown. “As officers arrived back at the residence, they found a violent confrontation between the subject and the pine straw salesman. It was determined that the subject attacked the pine straw salesman without provocation.”
Ross was transported to the Fayette County Jail.
