Fight over leafblower broken up by gun-toting woman

Macomb Township — A fight between two neighbors broke out Thursday after one of the men became irate over leaves blown onto his lawn from the other neighbor’s leaf blower, authorities say.

A 52-year-old man was using a leafblower at his mobile home on the 46000 block of Chatsworth, when his neighbor, Jerry Thomas Ficht, 57, approached him about 1:15 p.m., accusing him of blowing leaves onto Ficht’s yard.

Ficht is alleged to have then started assaulting his neighbor, who was bleeding from his ear and laying in a supine position when Macomb County sheriff’s deputies arrived.

The fight was broken up, police say, when the victim’s girlfriend, 68, emerged from the home with a handgun and warned Ficht that she would shoot if he didn’t stop hitting her boyfriend. The woman is a licensed concealed weapon carrier, and the handgun is legally registered to her.

Lt. John Michalke, spokesman for the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, said there is no known history of problems between the two men.

While the victim was transported to a local hospital, Ficht was arrested and brought to Macomb County Jail.

He was arraigned on Friday, at the 41-A District Court in Shelby Township on a felony charge of assault with intent to commit great bodily harm, and given a $10,000 cash/surety bond.

He is still at Macomb County Jail, police said Monday.

jdickson@detroitnews.com