Man Arrested for Mowing Neighbor's Lawn at 4:30 am
He wasn't drunk or riding a mower down the street, but Phil Ray Gage of Oklahoma City was still arrested for mowing his neighbor's lawn last Friday morning.
Acting on a complaint from a different neighbor, police approached Gage outside his home at 4:30 a.m., informing him that early morning mowing is against the law.
He was subsequently arrested and cited for disturbing the police.
Technically, in many jurisdictions it is illegal to mow one's lawn at such an hour.
Most cities have enacted noise ordinances that limit the hours during which residents can freely use mowers, leaf blowers, and complete construction projects.
Though in some places it may be earlier, such activities are generally prohibited before 7 a.m., with allowances for the weekend.
It's interesting to note that these restrictions, along with the heat, are why Phil Ray Gage was mowing his lawn at such an early hour, reports The Oklahoman. He's a contractor, and spends most of his waking hours on the job.
Despite the fact that Gage was indeed disturbing the peace, he's right to point out that he shouldn't have been arrested for mowing.
An officer at the scene placed him in handcuffs, stating in the police report that he had become argumentative. Gage denies these allegations, telling The Oklahoman that he would have been hauled in had they been true.
If he had argued with officers, Phil Ray Gage would have been cited for resisting arrest--not merely arrested for mowing his lawn at such a ridiculous hour.
Related Resources:
- Man arrested for early morning mowing (UPI)
- Disturbing the Peace (FindLaw)
- Noisy Neighbors? How to Handle Neighbor Disputes (FindLaw's Law & Daily Life)