A Florida homeowner is facing charges after allegedly threatening to kill a cable company worker who was installing fiber-optic equipment in her yard. Police say the woman made multiple violent threats during the confrontation, including references to a gun, an axe, and even a bomb.
Homeowner Arrested After Threats
Charmaine Borger, 65, of Port St. Lucie, was arrested and charged with simple assault (threatening violence) and resisting arrest without violence. She was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on a $750 bond.
Dispute Over Cable Installation
The incident happened last week on Southwest Ardmore Street, where a cable worker was digging to install a fiber-optics box in an easement on Borger’s property.
According to police, Borger confronted the worker and demanded a copy of his permit. When he declined, saying he could show but not hand over the document, she allegedly became aggressive.
At first, Borger reportedly told the worker, “Don’t play with me, I’ll go get my axe and chop you.” When he refused to leave, she allegedly escalated the threats, warning: “You better leave, I do have a gun. I’ma go get it if you don’t leave.”
Worker Calls Police as Threats Escalate
The worker phoned 911 as Borger allegedly continued, saying, “If you don’t leave, you’re a dead man.” She reportedly added, “I’m telling you I’ma go get my gun and shoot you. This is my land, I pay $8,000 on house fees; you better leave now.”
Witness Corroborates Account
A witness told police she heard Borger shouting and cursing at the worker, calling him names and making threats. The witness recorded part of the incident and recalled Borger pointing to the dug-up ground and saying: “This is my property, if I was to put a bomb in here I can.”
Homeowner’s Defense
Borger told police she never received notice about the installation and was upset because the cable company was not her provider. She expressed concerns about safety, saying she feared the underground equipment might be hazardous.
What began as a disagreement over fiber-optic installation quickly spiraled into a dangerous situation, with threats serious enough to land a 65-year-old homeowner in jail. While Borger claimed frustration over the work being done without her consent, authorities say her threats crossed the line into criminal behavior.
