THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 25, 1995 TAG: 9502250216
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON FRANK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
It started as a routine job for a city building inspector and a demolition crew Friday morning at an old house in the 1700 block of Montclair Ave. in the Campostella Heights section.
But suddenly, city officials said, it turned contentious, then frightening, and then dangerous.
They reported that property owner Micah Jordan, 31, tried to stop the crew members from tearing down the house. When they refused, they allege, he pulled out what appeared to be an Uzi-style gun and threatened to shoot.
Jordan later said he didn't have a gun, but was carrying a stick.
Still, the sight of him was all it took to convince the inspector and the crew to quickly agree on a temporary work stoppage. When the gun came out, they reported, everybody scattered.
``The owner of the property drove up in his truck and got out wielding a gun,'' said Mike Babashanian, chief of inspections for the city. ``He chased the building inspector down Campostella Road a way until he saw a Norfolk policeman, and then he took off the other way.''
No one was injured and no shots were fired, witnesses said. Although Norfolk police officers were called, they could not find Jordan, and did not arrest him Friday.
Babashanian said the inspector pressed misdemeanor charges against Jordan. He would not identify the inspector.
Jordan came back to his property later in the morning, claiming that he had not pulled a gun, but instead had wielded a stick when the bulldozer operator refused to stop tearing down the house.
Jordan said he drove by the property Friday morning with no idea that a demolition crew would be there. He got out of his truck and demanded that the demolition stop, but he did not use a gun, Jordan said.
``They are just tearing it down for no reason,'' said Jordan. ``I was rehabbing it. I was going to live in it.''
The city also towed away three vehicles that Jordan had on the property, which also surprised the owner.
``Those vehicles have valid license plates and valid city stickers,'' Jordan said.
Babashanian described the property as a ``constant eyesore'' that had brought numerous complaints from other property owners in the neighborhood. Although Jordan had indicated that he was going to repair the house, he had been informed that was not an option, Babashanian said.
``We told him he could not repair it, but he went ahead anyway,'' Babashanian said. ``This particular piece of property was condemned. It was beyond repair.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by MARK MITCHELL, Staff
Micah Jordan, 31, stands near the old house in the 1700 block of
Montclair Ave. in Norfolk's Campostella Heights section.
by CNB