men were cutting into the trunks, and several branches already lay across the gravel. Fresh sawdust hung in my flashlight beam like fog.
I shouted that they were on private property and began recording from a safe distance. The man holding the saw glanced toward me, said something to his companion, and shut it off. They ran to a white rental pickup and drove away, scattering gravel. I caught the company logo, partial plate, and enough of their faces to be useful, but not enough to identify either man with certainty. I did not chase them. A chainsaw, a falling tree, and an angry property owner are a combination likely to produce more damage than any court settlement can repair.
I called 911 and stayed away from the leaning trunks. By the time Deputy Collins arrived, the road was partly obstructed. He photographed the stumps, marked the unsafe trees, and collected a dropped work glove. He reviewed my video twice. This time he was clear that cutting down another person's trees without permission was a matter the sheriff's office could investigate criminally, whatever the ongoing civil dispute might be.
The rental company records connected the truck to a card belonging to Marcus Pritchette, Darlene's adult son, who worked in her real estate office. Collins explained that renting a vehicle did not prove Marcus had driven it or that Darlene had ordered anything. Investigators would need witnesses, additional records, and