An Alturas man wielding a weed trimmer who threatened his 68-year-old neighbor was shot twice Thursday and now faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Darren Lee Wilkerson, 40, of 365 80 Foot Road in Alturas, was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center for treatment of his wounds, but later was released and was booked into the Polk County Jail on Thursday night.
Wilkerson's neighbor, Willard Bruce, 68, of Alturas, wasn't injured.
Bruce wasn't arrested. A sheriff's report called the shooting self-defense.
Wilkerson was trimming Bruce's hedges about 12:40 p.m. at 295 80 Foot Road, reports said.
Bruce asked Wilkerson to stop, but Wilkerson said he would hit Bruce with the weed trimmer and lifted it toward his face.....
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"It was learned ... that Mr. Wilkerson routinely threatens and provokes his neighbors," Carver wrote in his report. "Mr. Wilkerson did use a deadly weapon to threaten the victim (Bruce) and the victim did have a well-founded fear of being injured or killed. The victim's actions were in self-defense."
Bruce's lawyer, David Carmichael, said he was pleased with the finding.
It wasn't until Wilkerson's "bizarre behavior" recently that Bruce began carrying his pistol with him, Carmichael said. "(Bruce) was in a heightened state of awareness when this guy was around."
![[shocked]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/007.gif "Shocked [shocked]")
