Staff report

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – In a startling incident, 79-year-old Edward Spiegel was taken into custody yesterday after allegedly menacing two appliance repairmen with a revolver, preventing them from departing his property.

Deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence in Earleton around 6:14 p.m. on February 4. The repairmen had been there to fix a washing machine Spiegel had purchased from their business specializing in used appliances.

Upon their arrival, the repairmen claimed Spiegel greeted them outside, brandishing a revolver, and remarked that he was already having a bad day.

As the repairmen began their work, they reported that Spiegel placed the revolver atop the washing machine. When one suggested they should leave, Spiegel allegedly retrieved the firearm, waved it around, and pointed it at them, forbidding their departure.

Fearing for their safety, the repairmen contacted 911. One of them is said to have recorded the alarming encounter on video.

Post Miranda, Spiegel reportedly did not want to speak to deputies. However, while a deputy was reading him his Miranda rights, Spiegel reportedly said he had been drinking alcohol for the past hour.

Spiegel has been charged with two counts of kidnapping to facilitate the commission of a felony, two counts of false imprisonment, and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has no criminal history, and Judge Jonathan Ramsey ordered him held without bail on the aggravated assault charges, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing. Judge Ramsey set bail at $70,000 on the other charges.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.