Gov‘t Compliance Officer Seemingly Breaks Into Woman’s Home to Yell at Her Over the Length of Her Lawn
- Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:19pm by
Erica Ritz
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A Georgia homeowner allegedly awoke to an unusual scene on July 2 — a county code compliance officer yelling at her over the state of her lawn from the doorway of her bedroom.
“I woke up, I didn’t have my glasses on or my contacts in and all I see is this big burly figure standing in my doorway,” Erica Masters explained. “A big huge guy with a grey shirt. It scared the mess out of me.”
She elaborated: “[He] yelled at me to wake me up, to let me know that I needed to come back outside and sign the violation notice,” informing her that her grass was too long.
“I could have been coming fresh out of the shower. I mean, if I’m not answering the door, maybe it’s because I can‘t hear you because I’m in the shower,” she later pointed out.
To top it off, the whole scene can be viewed on Masters’ home surveillance cameras.
Jimmy Vowell, the officer in question, originally denied that he entered the house, according to the Columbia News-Times.
When he was foiled by Masters’ security cameras, he claimed that he smelled something strange in the residence, and when he knocked on the door, it just opened.
Regardless, Columbia County Administrator Scott Johnson stated the obvious: “A code enforcement officer must be invited into a home… There are some circumstances where there may be extenuating circumstances … if it were a matter of life and death.”
But the New York Daily News notes that Masters’ overgrown lawn was hardly a case of life-or-death, and the claim that Vowell “smelled something” is unverifiable.
Making the case even stranger, when the woman called 911 a deputy wasn’t sent because Vowell is a county employee. Rather, she was transferred to Vowell’s supervisor, the News-Times reported.
Vowell was originally put on administrative leave, but was fired Monday after a review by county officials.
“It was a violation of policy as it relates to entering a house without permission and making a false statement to a supervisor,” County Development Services Division Director Richard Harmon told a local newspaper.
That “false statement,” it appears, was Vowell‘s claim that he never entered Masters’ home.
WJBF interviewed Masters’ neighbors, who said they’ve had trouble with Masters in the past (some might find it odd to have four security cameras, but 12-inch grass, for instance), but Masters promises she’ll take care of it.
“I understand (the county) having to serve a violation notice,” Masters concluded, “ but the way they handled it was completely unacceptable.”
Watch WJBF’s interview with Masters, below:

























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Comments (253)
Bruce P.
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:53pmI don‘t think this will be the last time we’ve hear of Mr. Vowell. Unfortunately, it will probably be after he murders someone.
But…why isn’t Masters sure if she wants to press charges?
Security cameras, 12-inch grass, the outside of the house filthy…would anyone else be surprised if the house had a “weird smell.”
Mr. Vowell may be very lucky he was able to walk out of the house alive.
Report Post »Cavallo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:06pmWarrant? No? B&E, Trespassing, Assault. Arrest him, toss his fascist ass in jail.
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:07pmShe should have just slipped him a twenty. You can always buy a vowell.
Report Post »hugecatfish
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:15pmSREGN, well done. A much needed laugh.
Report Post »OhioRifleman
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:02pmThis dumbkopf is very lucky he didn’t spend the evening in the county hospital, picking buckshot out of his arse.
Report Post »Commander8080
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:27pm12 inches? I doubt it, the picture looks more like 8 inches and if it is as dry in Georgia as it is in the Midwest. I do not blame her for not mowing. I have not mowed in 3 weeks and I have a few patches were the grass is 8 inches. But for the most part, if I mowed I just be walking over dead grass.
Report Post »wntsmallgov
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:16amIt would have been totally justifiyed for this women to use a firearm on a strange man in her house. “I just woke up and he was there yelling at me and I feared for my life. I felt he was going to hurt me” OOOPS one less idiot.
This Code enforcment officer should be without a job, A civil case should be brought before the city and against the officer. He has no authority to enter the house. HE should have called the PD and let them enter if he “smelt something funny” I dare repeat myself. He is an IDIOT.
Report Post »nosharia
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:53pmThe LAWN police?
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:14pmI believe the correct term is “The Green Police”….. Like that awesome car commercial from maybe two years ago…
Report Post »SWODADDY
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:50pmDitto, ditto, and…….DITTO!!!
This guy is lucky he didn’t end up as pink film on the walls.
Report Post »Scaz
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:40pmYes, what a shame it would have been if Mr. Vowell ended up as a stain on the wall. I guess other “compliance officiers” would think twice about just walking into someone’s home.
At least it would be a teachable moment.
Report Post »h20sue
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:49pmCounty compliances do need to be covered, but this man took it much too far.
Report Post »I have property next to mine (rural) and it has grass 4 1/2 ‘ high. The realtor who is handling the foreclosed property send some dumb A$$ with a residential mower that continued to break down, a Murray (KMart push mower), and a delapadated weed whacker, to perform landscaping. Yeah, right!
The ditch was never cut, the riding mower continued to break because the grass was extremely high, so instead of calling and getting someone else to do the work, the dummy took the weed eater and tried to cut 2 1/2 acres with it. The yard looks atrocious, but realty companies take the lowest bid, and have no clue what kind of job or equipment the landscaper owns. The yard would look better if it had been eaten by Billy or Nanny Goats. Our county has done nothing, and the realtor should be responsible for this since it’s LISTING! I’m getting ready to take photos an send to the realtor as obviously no one from his company has been by to inspect the property. It‘s a snake pit and I’ve had to kill three snakes thus far. We need more county control,but not what that man did. That poor women is struggling just like the rest of us. She probably has no mower!
undercover
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:11pmHer grass was 4 1/2 inches high? Off with her head!
Report Post »booger71
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:23pmWe had a few houses in our neighborhood under foreclosure. We just took turns mowing them ourselves, since the city would not do it. Our neighborhood association then filed a lean on the foreclosed property, when they sold we got our money back. Of course it would not work in her case, but if I was her neighbor (thank goodness I’m not) I would have offered to mow it for her.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:26pmShe should have gone to the nearest mosque and borrowed their goat. It would be like buying her dinner before a romantic evening.
Report Post »IwontcollectSS1987
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:28pmcool story bro!
Report Post »garylee123
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:33pmOr you could do what I do for my neighbors….I mow it. It’s to both our benefits.
Report Post »Scaz
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:36pmThe Realtor has no control over what their client (in your case the bank) will spend on maintaining a property. There are so many bank owned properties, that banks are really cutting back on maintainence. This means the property looks bad and now no one wants to look at it. Believe me, it’s a constant battle between the banks and Realtors to fix these properties up to make them marketable.
Report Post »19RANDY59
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:39pmIf that grass bothers you that much, GO CUT IT YOURSELF!!!!! The reason this country is in the shape it’s in is because of people like you, that run to the government to straighten out all your problems. grow some ba!!s and get in your neighbors face.
Report Post »SolitudeBliss
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 6:06pm@GaryLee123 You are very sweet to cut your neighbors lawn. It’s just what any decent kind person should do. Especially if your neighbors are elderly, disabled, etc. However, if they are perfectly capable, have healthy and able children then you are just feeding the BEAST.
Report Post »Helaman
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 1:50pm@h20sue
What happened to being a good neighbor? Think about the better neighbors you may attract if the property looks decent. Which in turn attracts a better offer for the house and makes your house value more stable. Besides all that, what about the gesture of being a good concerned neighbor. But then again, maybe you deserve the trash that may move into the trash house next door.
Report Post »Hill60
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:49pmIf this were my house – I’d be patching up the 9 holes in my walls, from the 00 buckshot that passed thru his fat body.
Dude is lucky to be alive.
Now that lady needs to be more respectful of her neighbors and mow the damn lawn.
Report Post »Flag-Man
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:45pmSo they fired him, good.
Report Post »Now are they going to file charges against him
for breaking & entering.
Semper Fi
Danang1972
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:53pmDon’t they have “Stand Your Ground” in Georgia?” He is dam lucky he wasn’t standing in my home without permission!
Report Post »Texas Hills Patriot
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:44pmIf he was lying dead in the bedroom doorway because she shot him if would be difficult to claim he didn’t enter the house. And where the hell were the cops? A guy just committed breaking and entering and they choose not to respond. She should have called 911 back and told them not to hurry because she blew him away with her .38. They sure would respond then.
Report Post »blanco5
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:34pmSadly, that’s the ONLY way to get the Dallas police to come to your property. Not calling and saying someone is breaking in ….no, no, no……calliing and saying that you just shot an intruder and 5 min later, they’re there!
Report Post »WALTERC
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 6:50pmBlanco5, my dad used to tell a joke about a guy who called the police to say someone was in his garage. The dispatcher replied that no one was available, so he’d have to wait. so he chung up, waited 2 minutes then called back to say he shot the guy. Predictably he had more cops than he knew what to do with. Then the head cop said, “I thought you said you shot someone” to which the home owner replied “I thought you said no one was available to respond.”
I would have shot the guy. But since she didn’t she should file a criminal B&E complaint and sue the county for entry without a warrant. Then they can pay to cut the grass for a long time to come.
Report Post »Helaman
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 2:00pm@Texas Hills Patriot -Better yet, she should have called and stated that the intruder molested her kid. He would get jail time just for the accusation, because we live in a society where the accusation of molestation is fact, whether it happened or not… and there was no camera in the bedroom!
Report Post »BATluvs3
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:44pmHe would have been looking down the barrel of my 12 gauge shotgun. (And its always loaded)
Report Post »Carlinpa
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:43pmUnreal… these people are outta control….
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:42pmGoes to show that both sides must obey the law. I hope they have both learned their lesson as what to do and when to do it, I also hope the city has smartened up enough to check out all complaints when they receive them.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:45pmThe matter here is, that idiot who broke into her house to complain about her lawn, could all too easily have been mistaken for an assailent and intruder bent on harm and been shot or such.
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:06pmThat is true, Snow.
Report Post »pjr12345
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:27pmSNOW: This guy WAS an intruder! While he clearly didn’t commit a B&E, he certainly entered a private residence uninvited. He should have been fired, and he should be held for trespassing. Additionally, the county that employed this goon should be sued. An example must be set so government employees everywhere remember their duties and limitations.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:42pmI’m willing to bet he knew she lived there alone.
Report Post »OhioRifleman
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:26pmStrangely, I would not bet against you on that.
Report Post »ronin_6
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 3:24amHit the nail on the head there.
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:41pmOMG it’s the end of AMERICA!
Quick, everybody start shooting!
You guys. Too funny.
Report Post »MEANS2RESIST
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:51pmI would have shot him dead! C’mon BEST, come to my house twinkie.
Report Post »KENTUCKIANAPATRIOT
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:52pmIsn’t that a picture of a horse? (Over to the left of your “name”?)…..See you cropped the horse right at the hindquarters there–& improvised with BEST_PATRIOT……Hhm…….Advertising your field?
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:59pmHey Kentuck, y’all Blazers all read from the same “joke book?” One comeback between the lot of you.
MEANS2RESIST, you’re a dork. Deal with it.
Report Post »TexasHunter
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:16pm@ Best so I guess you would of woken up and said hey guy welcome to my bedroom. You look warm and snuggle some would you like to cuddle? I will do the spooning. You and ENCINOM must be twins.
Report Post »unsafe
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:32pmYour damm right start shooting, They’ll think twice before breaking into some ones home. And you ppl who are worried over some ones grass are crazy. Come on my land and see what happens, let a lone my house they would be taking your happy a$$ out in a body bag. No if and buts about it.
Report Post »KENTUCKIANAPATRIOT
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:34pmNow–don’t get even nastier….I’ve been around longer…Give it up–dear–& just for you…(ONE MORE TIME>>>) KENTUCKIANA…take it that’s NOT a photo of a horse you OWN…NEVER heard of Kentuckiana?…& you’re a HORSE lover??? OH!!!!!In case you’re lingering here……see BTK KILLER….check out what his JOB TITLE was…..pretty close, if not exactly. As far as replies…I, like everybody else, that said they would have SHOT this guy–we are not JOKING…so “funny” to you, might be something different to us than you–ever THINK of that?
Report Post »KENTUCKIANAPATRIOT
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:47pmI forgot!!!!! Yes–we say “Y’all”…..not NIGH as easy to pick on us as you expected??? OH!!!!! EVERYBODY–QUICK!!!! Raise your hands & ask the Govt. if you can report an incident of BULLY….something…“pulpit” comes to mind…ALTHOUGH, some of us are used to a different message than yours coming from The Pulpit…and NOTHING new??!!?? WOW!!! Here’s an oldie, but a goodie…”We say Grace & we say Maam…”
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:02pmLOL, @ KENTUCKIANAPATRIOT. Looks like I struck a nerve. You‘re all a’buzz.
Report Post »OngoingFreedom
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:13pmBEST_PATRIOT, I think you are missing the tenor of the posts here.
There are several issues here but probably the overriding one is waking up to find a stranger in your house. In your bedroom door frame. Who is hulking. Who is yelling at you…
Go back to that first point and chew on that. In a state of abrupt wakefulness I find myself agreeing that my first action will be to grab my weapon and start protecting myself. Self defense is a NORMAL reaction, and a God-given right. This is especially true in one’s home.
And to the other poster who mentioned it, this is a castle doctrine issue, similar but different to “Stand Your Ground”.
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:27pmOngoingFreedom, you sleep with your weapon?
You’ve got some serious issues man.
Report Post »shakedowncrews
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:55pmHe would have been killed in my house also, no questions asked. I have a family to protect; a strange man may enter the home, but he will be shot immediately and I’ll let the police sort it out afterwards.
Come give it a try, poofter.
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:12pmYou all live in fantasy land.
Report Post »19RANDY59
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:49pmYeah Best, as a nation we’ve been way to tolerant of government workers abusing their positions. From(especially)cops, to code officers. It’s time to say no to authority.
Report Post »SolitudeBliss
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 6:38pmYes, Best Patriot, some americans do sleep close to their guns. Hubby has his handgun on his bedside table and I have mine on my bedside table. Within quick reach. You can think this a bit extreme but in Today’s times I sleep better knowing that gun is right there.
Report Post »edmundburk
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 7:30pm@best patriot- bob beckel is that you?
Report Post »Helaman
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 2:11pmTo those of you who are responding to Best_Patriot, I want to point out that when someone ridicules and insults others in a discussion, they are unable to back up their position with facts. So they attack the others so that we don’t see them for who they are! I learned this from my wife by her example. My guess is that Best_Patriot is the guy in the video who broke into the ladies house uninvited.
Report Post »sophillyjimmy
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 11:19pmPatriot, no government agency is permitted to enter our homes without a cause and having long grass outside of your home is not just cause, and claiming to have smelled something in the house is also not just cause. To a woman living alone, seeing a guy enter her bedroom not wearing any type of uniform is a reason to blow his face off with a shotgun and if she didn‘t have survailance camera’s located in various parts of her home he would still be entering other peoples homes.
Report Post »I also see you demeaning others about sleeping with their weapons, but you don’t know a thing about them or where they live, perhaps they live in a high crime area and they are simply exercising their Constitutional rights, but you seem to be critical towards anyone that own firearms for self protection, so you are the one with issues not those that believe in our system and you don’t sound like much of a patriot either.
wntsmallgov
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:26amIF a idiot broke into my house and was between me and my kids dam right I would shoot, I have two daughters and I will take my chances with a commie judge and liberal jury. But that idiot will not break in or possible hurt anyone in the future. Well worth it.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:40pmThis is exacly what the founders warned us about…..EXACTLY.
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:07pmExactly?
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:40pmIf that were MY HOUSE… That guy would be DEAD, end of discussion.
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:17pmYeah. Now back to your Fritos!
Report Post »Servant Of YHVH
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:43pm@best_patriot(extremely doubtful on that name for you)
Report Post »It’s okay. We all know that if it had happened to you you that you would have had him in bed as quick as you can and you would either be knocked up or in a “same sex” relationship with him by now. REAL patriots would have had the ambulance people carrying him out of the house on their stretcher completely covered up with the sheet. So now we know the difference between a pretend patriot and a REAL one!!!
Gonzo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:36pmHe‘s lucky she didn’t unload a shotgun into him. Some stranger appears in my bedroom door, I’ll do just that.
Report Post »Lee_in_PA
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:45pmFirst the dog bites him, then Dan Wesson. What a jerk.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:01pmMy Rottie is old now, she lets me handle the dirty work these days.
Report Post »S2S
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:33pmHad it been my house, he would have found himself at the wrong end of a shotgun!
What an idiot!
.
Report Post »stumpy68
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:00pmI don‘t ask questions i don’t have any anyone who would have a reason to enter
Report Post »my house unannounced / invited my first and only reply to an invasion of my home would
be a shotgun blast to the intruders center mass.
turnabout
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 4:35pmThere was the case of some guy just walking in a homeowner’s yard in Oakland who ended up killing the homeowner we he went to investigate. The guy was crazy, and you should beware of unusual behaviors like not following social convention.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:33pmSo you don’t have the right to “stand your ground”, but by law you must “Mow your ground”???
Report Post »KENTUCKIANAPATRIOT
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:44pmThat sounds about right……
Report Post »term limits for congress
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:51pmfunny
Report Post »Cavallo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:33pmBasicly it is to protect not only property values, but to discourage rodents and other vermin that would pose a menace to the public. She should first have been sent a letter, then a phone call, then a polite visit to the front door, if no answer send a summons to court for a citation and court order tomanage the lawn, and ignore of the order would cause an arrest warrant. In most locales they will pay the county or city tocut it and charge the property owner for the required service. Without a warrant the guy should have been shot repeatedly with a large bore firearm by the property owner, for the man is now invading the home in an illeagal fashion.
Report Post »Scaz
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:45pmYou can’t let your property become a health hazard and endanger other people around you. By letting the grass grow so high, it will encourage rodents and snakes in the area. Not fair to her neighbors.
That said, the fat b@stard had no right to enter her home like that. If no one answers the door, mail the violation by registered mail.
Report Post »Chromo200
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:31pmScaz … Maybe she could not mow the lawn due. If the neighbors ar ethat concerned, they should have asked why she is not keeping up with the yard, and if there is good reason they can help her. I did both lawns on either side of me .. they were elderly and one could not afford a new lawn mower.
The compliance office should have found another way to communicate with the homeowner. Glad he got fired.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:31pmThis is just the start. Soon it will be the Govt’s responsibility to cut the grass.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:43pmThat’s what they did on the plantations and they complained about that also. Just can’t make some people happy.
Report Post »libertyordeath87
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:30pmThe guy is so lucky he wasn’t shot to death.
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:30pmBuy a gun. If it happens again blow the SOB away.
Report Post »chazmo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:28pmum you know who else was a Code Enforcement officer that liked to go into women’s houses? The BTK killer.
Report Post »malbro
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:27pmNow sue fo invasion of privacy…..Glad he lost his job……..
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:27pmIf it had been my bedroom doorway .. they would be collecting his body from that spot …
Report Post »Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:26pmand the libs want these people in charge of healthcare. they can’t handle lawncare.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:25pmI sleep with a .38 next to my hand. If he had barged into my home he would be dead today.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:37pm;-) me too MOM
Report Post »momrules
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:46pmAnd you know what CATB, I would not feel a moments guilt. What goes on in the mind of people like Vowell that makes them think that they can do things like this? I wonder what other things he has done while on the job that he has gotten away with.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:02pmI sleep armed and clothed daily. It would be a bad idea in my house.
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