ENCINITAS, Calif. (KGTV) - A North County family says the discovery of a homeless encampment in their backyard led to a violent encounter.
Jamie, who asked us not to use her last name, lives off Mountain Vista Drive in Encinitas. Her backyard lies behind a strip mall.
On Thursday morning, the property manager of the shopping center told her teen daughter that someone had moved into the spot under the deck in the family's yard. Under the deck was a large collection of blankets and belongings. Jamie and her husband were out of town, but contacted the sheriff's department. Deputies came out and collected the items.
Jamie says after the deputies retrieved the items, they found drug paraphernalia and weapons they didn't identify, except for a pickaxe from the house, hidden in the blankets.
Hours later in the yard, Jamie's 20-year-old son encountered a man - about 6'2" and very fit - who was angry about the missing belongings.
"He threatened to kill my son. He shoved a shopping cart at him and just left in a rage," said Jamie.
Two days later, Jamie and her husband were back home, when they heard some unusual sounds.
"We heard crashing coming from the back where eggs were smashing all over the yard," said Jamie.
Jamie says it was the same homeless man, and he went after her husband.
"He said, 'I'm going to kill you and your son.' Then he threw a bicycle at my husband," said Jamie.
The man ran off, but just hours later, Jamie's son saw him inside the nearby restaurant he works at. Jamie drove there and snapped a photo of him. She says he went after her, with restaurant staff close by.
"He got angry, red in the face ... Another man grabbed him and he ended up punching the glass instead of me because they had pulled me inside," said Jamie.
Jamie says her husband tackled the man and suffered blows to his head. He also aggravated a previous knee injury, before deputies arrived and took the man into custody.
10News reached out to the sheriff's department to find out what charges he is facing and have yet to hear back.
