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Staff Report
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Authorities arrested Edward Spiegel, 79, yesterday following allegations that he threatened two appliance repairmen with a revolver as they attempted to exit his property. The incident reportedly took place when the repairmen were trying to leave after Spiegel displayed the firearm.
At approximately 6:14 p.m. on February 4, deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Earleton. The appliance repairmen stated they were at the location for a service call to fix a washing machine Spiegel had purchased from their business dealing in used appliances.
Upon their arrival, the repairmen recounted that Spiegel greeted them outside, displaying a revolver and expressing his frustration over an already difficult day.
While the repairmen worked on the washing machine, they noticed Spiegel placed the revolver on top of the appliance. When one repairman suggested to the other that they should leave, Spiegel allegedly insisted they stay. The men reported that Spiegel then picked up the revolver, waved it around, and pointed it at them, instructing them not to move.
The victims said they feared for their lives, and they called 911; one of the victims reportedly took a video of the incident.
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.