By Pat Culverhouse

Workers with a local lawn care company who were going about their task Thursday morning found themselves staring down the barrel of a shotgun and a Minden man is in custody for threatening the crew.

Police officers responding to a call of a disturbance in the 500 block of Quarles St. learned 50-year-old Darrell Gene Jackson, a Quarles St. resident, had approached the crew claiming they were not allowed to mow the yard.

Jackson allegedly told the lawn care company owner the crew could “…never come back down Quarles Street again.” According to statements from the owner, Jackson threatened to kill him and his workers.

When the crew attempted to exit the area in their work truck, Jackson allegedly stood in the street with a shotgun, preventing them from leaving. At that point, the crew awaited the arrival of police officers.

According to responding officers Sgt. Ben Sparks and Lt. Shane Griffith, the homeowner was present during the incident. The homeowner reportedly told officers she witnessed Jackson “talking crazy” to the work crew while possessing the shotgun.

Officers included in their incident report witness and victim statements along with images of Jackson standing beside the street holding a shotgun.

Minden Chief of Police Jared McIver said Jackson, has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and false imprisonment with a dangerous weapon.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.