A 78-year-old man is facing a second-degree murder charge after admitting to shooting and killing his neighbor who was trimming tree limbs along a shared fence line to help his elderly mother.
The fatal shooting was reported at around 7:13 p.m. on Sunday, September 17. According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Brian J. Ford was trimming trees along the fence line between 1880 and 1890 Alameda Drive.
While he was cutting the limbs, he was confronted by Edward S. Druzolowski about being on his property.
Druzolowski told VCSO detectives that he verbally threatened to shoot Ford. He says when Ford didn’t leave, he shot him.
Deputies arrived on the scene just minutes after the incident was reported. They attempted life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Ford was pronounced deceased at the scene a short time later.
Druzolowski has been booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail and is being held without bond on a charge of second-degree murder.
According to a witness, Ford was cutting the limbs on behalf of his mother, who is the registered owner of the property. Ford was the father to a 7-year-old boy.