WALLED LAKE, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Walled Lake businessman says the day before Election Day, he will be in court asking for a PPO (Personal Protection Order) against a man running for city council. So what led to all of this?
7 Action News filed a Freedom of Information Act request and police gave us the police report and video of the argument that led to it all. It happened between Jerry Millen, a downtown business owner, and Council Candidate Jeff Rondeau.
Millen, who owns the Green House, a medical marijuana business downtown, says he feels Rondeau is a threat.
“He was riding his bike downtown and he tries to ride me over with his bike,” Millen said.
He says in this surveillance video you can see the bike swerve towards him during a festival in June.
“Then he does a giant loop, comes back and accosts me again," he added. "(The candidate then) gets off his bike. He starts cussing at me. I am going to shoot you. I got a brand new Ruger. I will put a cap in your ass. What are you, a West Bloomfield Jew?”
Millen’s friend recorded some of it. Millen says he later learned from police that Rondeau just bought a new 9 millimeter Ruger a few months ago. Millen says the two have had disputes since he started working on his business. Rondeau at the time was an ordinance officer in Walled Lake.
“I have seen the video and I did hear what he said to Mr. Millen," said Mayor Linda Ackley. "I think it was a direct threat to him.”
7 Action News Reporter Kim Russell went to Mr. Rondeau’s house to get his side of the story and no one answered. 7 Action News also reached out through his supporter, who said Rondeau told him did not want to talk to the media about what happened. Rondeau’s supporter originally notified 7 Action News about the situation, saying it was unfair that Rondeau should have to appear before court due to the PPO request.
According to documents, a city attorney did review what happened and said that while there was a threat, there was not enough evidence for this to go to trial on criminal charges. Whether there is enough evidence for a PPO remains to be seen.
