Villager enraged about parking allegedly goes berserk on dog groomer

A Villager enraged about a dog grooming trailer parked near his home allegedly went berserk on the canine stylist.

The lady groomer was in her trailer grooming a customer’s dog shortly before 2 p.m. Monday in the 1100 block of Miona Shores Drive in the Village of Bridgeport at Miona Shores when 73-year-old James Walter Ekberg tried to forcefully open her trailer door, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. He pulled on the door three times.

The groomer called out and indicated she needed to secure the dog she was grooming before opening the door to the trailer.

When she opened the door, she saw that Ekberg was angry because she had parked her trailer on the street near where he lives. However, the arrest report noted her vehicle and trailer were properly parked in front of the home of her customer, “according to traffic regulations.” Still, she “apologized for the inconvenience” and tried to close the trailer door to get back to grooming.

Ekberg began yelling at the dog groomer.

“I almost hit your trailer when I was backing out of my driveway,” he shouted.

The groomer tried to close the trailer door and told Ekberg to, “Have a nice day.”

As she pulled the door closed, the six-footer began “heavily pounding on the door.” The groomer asked Ekberg to release the door, but he refused and continued yelling at her.

The groomer was in fear and began screaming, “Help, help, help!” She got out of the trailer and ran to her client’s door. The client dialed 911. Ekberg fled in his vehicle.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they found the trailer’s door handle had been ripped out of the screws, leaving a “large protruding” hole on the side of the door. The door had also sustained damage from the pounding. Damage was estimated at $500.

The grooming customer’s home surveillance camera captured images of the violent incident.

Ekberg returned to the scene and was arrested on a charge of criminal mischief with damage to property. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center and released after posting $1,000 bond.