Texas gardener uses weed eater to go after robbery suspects.
Some robbery suspects in northwest Harris County messed with the wrong gardner who used his weed eater to fight back.
Video shows the victim trimming a lawn on March 29, 2024, on Renmark Lane near Cypresswood Drive.
According to Precinct 4 constables, the gardener spotted some men stealing equipment from his truck parked a few houses down.
As the suspects drove past him, they tried to hit the victim with their car, Precinct 4 said. That’s when he threw his weed whacker at their windshield.
The car kept going but one passenger fell out and landed in the street. He tried to stand up but kept falling back down as the victim threatened him with the weed eater.
He finally ran off and got back into the red, four-door vehicle waiting nearby. Precinct 4 says a second dark-colored vehicle may also have been involved.
“The suspect, Jerell Alexander, received minor injuries from being struck and was later located at a local hospital,” Constable Mark Herman said.
In northwest Harris County, a group of robbery suspects learned the hard way when they targeted the wrong gardener, who fought back using an unconventional weapon – his weed eater. Surveillance footage captured the victim tending to a lawn on Renmark Lane near Cypresswood Drive on a Saturday afternoon. Nearby, he noticed several individuals pilfering equipment from his truck parked a short distance away.
As the suspects attempted to flee the scene in their car, they recklessly veered toward the victim in an attempt to intimidate him. Reacting swiftly, he hurled his weed whacker at their windshield in self-defense. Undeterred, the gardener pursued the fleeing vehicle until the situation escalated, and the driver brandished a firearm, forcing him to retreat.
During the chaos, one of the suspects tumbled out of the car onto the street. Despite attempts to rise, the victim, wielding the weed eater as a deterrent, kept him at bay. Constable Mark Herman of Precinct 4 remarked that the gardener acted instinctively to safeguard his property.
The alleged injured suspect, identified as Jerell Alexander, suffered minor injuries and sought medical attention at a local hospital. Alexander, 24, faces charges of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, adding to his prior criminal record, which includes a conviction for robbery with bodily injury in 2019.
A vigilant neighbor alerted authorities to the disturbance, prompting a swift response. Reflecting on the incident, Edita Minaya, a neighbor familiar with the victim’s work, expressed solidarity, emphasizing the importance of defending one’s livelihood. She echoed the sentiment of the community, urging authorities to swiftly apprehend the remaining suspects.
In an effort to aid the investigation, Herman’s office released surveillance images of the other individuals involved, along with a notice regarding a potential second dark-colored vehicle implicated in the crime. Community members are encouraged to provide any pertinent information to aid law enforcement in their pursuit of justice.
Tips can be submitted via email to [email protected].