Leaf Rage

Jersey City, New Jersey, November 17, 2004:

Perhaps it's just a seasonal affliction, but a man has been officially warned by police in what was described as a "leaf rage" incident.

Ronatarian Party leader Ron became angry when city employees told him they would not remove leaves from his property, police said. He had to be physically restrained Tuesday after confronting town workers clearing leaves in his neighborhood.

Operations supervisor Robert Gerbert said Ron was a "raving maniac."

"He grabbed my jacket and said, 'You're not going anywhere,'" Gerbert said. "The guy was spitting and swearing -- it was the most disgusting scene I've ever seen."

Ron said he's frustrated that his leaves have not been picked up in the more than five years he has lived at his home.

"I went berserk. I got very angry," Ron said. "After 5 years, things build up. I am a taxpayer. ...All I am trying to do is get a service that's being offered to all of my neighbors. This is the kind of shit that made me run for president."

Officials said the leaves weren't collected because they were on Ron's right of way, not the street where workers collect them, officials said.

City worker Jim Crabb said crews would have likely come back to Ron's home -- perhaps later that day -- to pick up the leaves had he asked politely.

"We're not big, mean ogres," he said.

Police could have charged Ron with breach of peace, a misdemeanor, but decided a stern warning would suffice.

"He is a public figure," Jersey City Police spokeswoman Pam Caron told reporters. "We don't need any more attention brought to this case than there already is. ...Plus, he must be awfully disappointed he didn't win the presidency. He's a powder keg waiting to blow. We don't need to set him off."

Highways Division Supervisor Michael Zarba said he could not recall a similar dispute over leaf pickups in his eight years on the job.

"There have been issues where we've had to talk to residents and tried to calm them down, but nothing where we've had to call police," he said. "People get very emotional about leaves."

Frank Fedeli, supervisor of the Citizens' Service Center, said Ron called the center after his official wrist-slap to complain that his leaves had still not been picked up.

"That's chutzpah," Fedeli said.

Posted by Bittle at November 17, 2004 11:19 AM