An 80-year-old Zephyrhills man has been arrested for attacking his neighbor with a machete.



Deputies say Alfred Houghton was at his mailbox chatting with his neighbor, 57-year-old Michael Shultz Sr., when the conversation went sour over the topic of some dead trees in Shultz's yard.



Deputies say Houghton expressed worry that the trees would fall over onto his fence.



According to the police report, that's when Houghton told Shultz he was going to kill him. Deputies say Houghton then went to his nearby ATV and pulled out a machete.

They say he came back over and kicked Shultz in the knee and began swinging the machete at him, cutting him twice in the arm. Deputies say Houghton then got back on his ATV and drove off.

Shultz immediately called for help. When deputies arrived, they say Houghton told them he was only defending himself and was allowed to use the machete because of the Stand Your Ground Law.

Deputies placed Houghton under arrest and while taking him to jail, they say he threatened revenge on Shultz.

He even alluded to putting a contract out on his life.

Houghton faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Shultz declined to speak with Bay News 9 for fear of making the situation worse.



