82-year-old Leesburg man arrested after allegedly pulling gun in dispute over dog

A Leesburg man was arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on his neighbor in a dispute over his dog.

An officer responded to a weapon complaint at an undisclosed Leesburg residence around 2:15 p.m. April 16, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. 

Upon arrival, the officer met 82-year-old John Desmond Turquand who stated that he had been in ongoing verbal altercations with his neighbors directly next door to his residence. The altercation was over animals coming onto his lawn. A few days prior, he overheard a conversation his neighbors were having in the front of his yard about shooting his dog, the report said. 

Turquand approached his female neighbor, the victim, the day of the incident to confront her about the conversation he overheard. She began getting agitated with the verbal altercation. He withdrew his concealed firearm from his waistbelt, still in the holster, while keeping it pointed at the ground. He showed the victim he had a firearm, the report said. 

The officer next interviewed the victim about the incident. She stated that she and Turquand had been in an ongoing verbal altercation over her animals going in and out of his lawn. The incidents happened prior to that day, the report said. 

The victim further advised that Turquand approached her that day and wanted to discuss their ongoing verbal altercations. They got into another verbal altercation at that time. During the incident, he withdrew his concealed firearm from his waist belt still in the holster and, while keeping it pointed at the ground, showed it to the victim, the report said. 

The victim feared Turquand was going to use the firearm on her due to his current agitated state. She backed away and dialed Leesburg Emergency Services, the report said. 

Turquand was subsequently placed in hand restraints and put under arrest. The black firearm Ruger L.C.P. Max was collected and later put into evidence, the report said. 

The California native was charged with improper exhibition of any weapon and transported to Lake County Jail. He was released after posting $1,000 bond.