SC woman attacks former roommate over leaf blower, phone bill, police say
Police charged a 59-year-old Upstate woman after she allegedly threw her former roommate down by the hair and hit the victim in the face after an argument over a phone bill and yard equipment.
Officers with the Greenville Police Department arrested Kathy Lea Tyler after she allegedly attacked the victim.
Around 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Tyler showed up at her former roommate’s house on Dixie Avenue to confront her about restoring cell phone service, investigators said. The victim told police she removed Tyler from the phone plan after she hadn’t paid her part of the bill.
After the confrontation, Tyler went with two other women into a carport behind her former roommate’s house, police said. The roommate noticed the women rummaging around and went to stop them. When she neared the three, Tyler slammed a full water bottle into the victim’s right temple, according to police. Tyler allegedly took the victim’s leaf blower. When she tried to take it back, Tyler grabbed the victim by the hair, pulled her to the ground and punched her in the face “numerous times,” an arrest warrant says. Tyler stole the leaf blower, a hedge trimmer, and an extension cord, an officer wrote in a report. When officers arrived they saw bruising on the victim, a department spokesperson said.
Greenville Police Department announced Tyler’s charges Monday. She was charged with assault and battery and petit larceny. She is not currently in custody, a department spokesperson said.
Assault and battery, depending on the degree, is punishable with 30 days to 20 years in prison and fines between $500 and $2000. In a statement, the department did not specify what degree assault and battery Tyler was charged with. Petit larceny carries a penalty of up to 30 days in prison and a maximum fine of $2000.
Police reports show the leaf blower, trimmer and cord were worth $100.
Tyler has past charges. She pleaded guilty to financial fraud in 2014 and was sentenced to 18 months probation, court records show. She also pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia in 2010, according to records.
This story was originally published July 29, 2019 at 3:25 PM.