A Tennessee Man Allegedly Bulldozed His Neighbor’s House Following A Neighborhood Dispute

A Tennessee man was arrested this week for allegedly using a bulldozer on a neighbor’s home following a dispute between the two men, WMC (Memphis) is reporting. Fortunately, no one was home at the time of the incident, and no one was injured as a result of the unsolicited demolition.

Neighbors and authorities around Drummon, Tennessee, aren’t sure how long the dispute between Edgar McLellan, 57, and John Higdon, 48, has been going on. But things between the two came to a head this week, and it all began on Friday.

Tipton County deputies began receiving phone calls complaining that a neighbor had been firing his gun into the woods surrounding his home. Cops honed in on Higdon, who admitted to having fired the shots.

Higdon told the police that he had spotted people wearing camouflage scampering about in the woods, and he shot at them to scare them away. Police searched the woods and found no evidence of trespassers. They then told Higdon to stop firing his gun into the woods and went on their way.

Not long after, deputies were called out again for more complaints of shots being fired. Deputies, who by this time were out of patience, cuffed Higdon and took him downtown, where he was charged with reckless endangerment.

As it turns out, just a few days earlier, according to police reports, Higdon had complained about people shining lights into his house. He said, at the time, that he believed that the trespassers were employees of McClellan.

At this point, it bears noting that, officially, there appears to be no connection to the incidents of trespassers around Higdon’s home and property, or is there any indication that they’re connected to Higdon. But as investigators dig around in this story, they may well uncover that connection, and it certainly appears that McLellan had some kind of beef with Higdon, as evidenced by what happened next.

At about 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, deputies were called to the same neighborhood, again, this time over reports that a man in an orange piece of construction equipment was bulldozing Higdon’s home. When cops arrived, they found Higdon’s home destroyed, and a bulldozer was parked behind another neighbor’s house. Debris on the bulldozer matched materials from Higdon’s home, and McLellan was arrested and charged with aggravated criminal trespassing and felony vandalism.

Higdon’s brother, Sammy Higdon, has no idea what the two men could have possibly been fighting about.

“Don’t know why. Never had beef with him. No explanation.”

Fortunately, no one was at home at the time of the alleged vandalism, but the home suffered major structural damage, as well as significant water damage, according to WHBQ (Memphis). Furniture and carpeting are exposed to the air, and pests have taken up residence on the property.

And Sammy and his brother are now out of their home.

“This man over here decides to come over here at 2 o’clock in the morning with a [bull]dozer, a tractor, and starts pushing the house down. He run the tractor through both bedrooms where the bed sits. I still don’t know what to believe.”

Sheriff J.T. Chumley says he’s glad that it was only property that was damaged in the dispute.

“I am thankful that no one was injured by either of the men arrested in this neighbor’s dispute.”

As of this writing, both Higdon and McLellan have posted bond and are free. Higdon and his brother Sammy are living in a trailer on their property as authorities continue to investigate. Sheriff Chumley says additional charges may be forthcoming.

[Image via Shutterstock/Smileus]