Post by WaTcHeR on Apr 16, 2006 11:27:16 GMT -5
04/15/2006 - Arkansas - Friday, deputies arrested a land owner in Benton County. The man says the county took more of his land than he agreed to while putting in a road near the Rogers airport.
Deputies arrested Chris Nelson after he used a bulldozer to reclaim land he says the county took from him.
Nelson faces a charge of obstructing government operations.
"I brought the bulldozer down and parked it and they told me if I didn`t move it that they were going to arrest me and they did," Nelson said.
Nelson said the problem started last year when the county put in a new paved road.
Nelson says the county took more than the allowed 25-foot easement, claiming crews took as much as 30-feet of his property, and he was never compensated for it.
What makes him more upset?
He says road workers told him County Judge Gary Black told them not to touch his neighbors` land, and says he found out about a long friendship between the neighbors and Judge Black.
"They had fifty-feet, they should`ve went twenty-five on both sides of the road and they chose not to because Judge Black ordered his employees not to touch the other side of the road," said Nelson`s wife Sherri.
The Nelsons say they tried to talk to Black many times, but he never returned their calls.
They`ve hired an attorney, and plan to sue the county and the judge.
Judge Black declined to comment, calling what happened a matter for police.
The Nelsons neighbors had no comment either.
Deputies arrested Chris Nelson after he used a bulldozer to reclaim land he says the county took from him.
Nelson faces a charge of obstructing government operations.
"I brought the bulldozer down and parked it and they told me if I didn`t move it that they were going to arrest me and they did," Nelson said.
Nelson said the problem started last year when the county put in a new paved road.
Nelson says the county took more than the allowed 25-foot easement, claiming crews took as much as 30-feet of his property, and he was never compensated for it.
What makes him more upset?
He says road workers told him County Judge Gary Black told them not to touch his neighbors` land, and says he found out about a long friendship between the neighbors and Judge Black.
"They had fifty-feet, they should`ve went twenty-five on both sides of the road and they chose not to because Judge Black ordered his employees not to touch the other side of the road," said Nelson`s wife Sherri.
The Nelsons say they tried to talk to Black many times, but he never returned their calls.
They`ve hired an attorney, and plan to sue the county and the judge.
Judge Black declined to comment, calling what happened a matter for police.
The Nelsons neighbors had no comment either.