In the quiet coastal town of Seabrook, Texas, a long-running feud between two local businesses has taken a dangerous turn. A teenage student from a jiu-jitsu studio was injured after stepping on a hidden nail trap allegedly placed by a neighbouring doctor.
What began as a parking disagreement has now escalated into a police investigation and growing safety concerns.
Old Parking Dispute Turns Ugly
The issue reportedly started after Cross Collar Jiu-Jitsu ended its parking agreement with the neighbouring colon surgeon’s office. Earlier, students used to park in the doctor’s lot through a rental arrangement. Once that deal ended, they began parking nearby at Shipley’s Donuts and walking through the doctor’s lot to reach the studio.
That’s when tensions flared up. According to the studio’s co-owner and instructor Robert Lee, confrontations started happening more often.
Students Report Harassment and Hostile Behaviour
Several students say they’ve faced angry outbursts from the doctor when passing through his property. “He started yelling. He seemed hostile,” said student Mason Planto. Lee also shared that students found suspicious items around their cars like:
Mud smeared on the windshield
Objects placed behind tyres
Rocks thrown on car hoods
But things escalated even further last week.
Teen Steps on Nail Trap, Rushed to Hospital
The most serious incident occurred when an 18-year-old student stepped on a piece of wood with a nail sticking out of it, hidden in the grass. “It went through his flip-flop. He had to go to the emergency room,” Lee said.
Lee immediately contacted the police and shared pictures of the nail trap. The police report mentioned multiple boards with nails and screws that were later confiscated. They are now investigating whether someone intentionally placed these as traps.
Warning Signs Appear After Incident
Soon after the injury, new signs were put up around the doctor’s property. These warned against trespassing and even claimed that rusted barbed wire was buried underground — adding to the growing concern for safety.
KHOU 11 spoke with Shelby Moore, a professor of law at South Texas College of Law, who explained that setting such traps could lead to serious legal trouble.
“Yes, they could face criminal and civil charges. It’s a third-degree felony. It’s extremely dangerous. Even someone like a gas meter reader could get seriously injured or killed,” Moore said.
Police Investigation Ongoing
As of now, no arrests have been made. The doctor’s office declined to comment when contacted by reporters. Seabrook police have confirmed they are actively investigating the matter and treating it as a possible criminal offence.
Meanwhile, the jiu-jitsu studio is simply asking for peace. “We just want this to stop. When does it end?” Lee said.
What began as a simple parking disagreement has now grown into a worrying safety issue in a peaceful neighbourhood. With a young student injured and more dangers potentially hidden around the property, authorities are under pressure to resolve the matter quickly.
For now, the focus remains on keeping people safe and finding a way to settle the conflict without further harm.
