Posted on 04/29/2009 5:52:32 AM PDT by stickandrudder
SAN DIEGO -- Spencer Trussle likes to play and ride his bike.
"I'm 4 years old," he said, "and I have a sister named Olivia, and I ride my bike all day long."
He lives in a piece of suburbia that seems picturesque: the Venzano development in San Marcos. His parents, Gary and Marla Trussle, moved the family here five months ago.
"I thought it would be good for the children," Marla Trussle explained.
But instead of being welcomed, the Trussle family has been under attack, they said, by neighbors. The accusations against them have been wild, including that 4-year-old Spencer "might come out with a firearm at anytime."
"I thought they had lost their minds," said Marla Trussle.
They are neighbors Sarah Fisher, Danielle Harway and Kelly Plaster. All three filed court papers asking that Spencer, his sister Olivia, and mom and dad be restricted to their own home and driveway.
"There was nothing I had done, my husband had done, my daughter had done, or I had done that warranted that response," said Trussle.
In court papers, Sarah Fisher wrote that, "Gary Trussle is a very violent, unstable and unpredictable man." Daniele Harway said, "He looked to be on drugs." And Kelly Plaster added, "I'm concerned that Gary or his son will gain access to Gary's firearms."
Gary Trussle responded, "There was no merit in any of their allegations."
He said the trouble can be linked to a diagnosis of autism when their son was 18 months old.
"It's like a part of me died that day," Spencer's mother said. The neighbors knew about Spencer's autism, that he might throw occasional tantrums, but he isn't violent.
The Trussles said there were no issues until Gary Trussle confronted another father on the cul de sac whose son was picking on Spencer.
It didn't go well.
Sarah Fisher reported the Trussles to Child Protective Services. She called Gary Trussle's employer, Continental Airlines, where he's a captain. She also made a call to 911, claiming he couldn't control his young children.
But the San Diego sheriff's deputy who responded declined to write a report. CPS dropped the case as unsubstantiated, and Continental Airlines stood by their longtime employee.
"I'm offended that someone would try to involve my employment, my profession in this matter," Gary said.
He has one firearm that's locked up. It was issued to him by the Department of Homeland Security for his job. He's a former lieutenant colonel in the Marines, who served his country for 25 years.
I-Team reporter Lauren Reynolds approached the three neighbors to get their side of the story. Plaster and Harway darted into a house. Sarah Fisher stayed to speak with Reynolds, but said, "No thank you" when asked if she wanted to comment.
"It's a sad story," said Dr. Kathie Sweeten, who runs the Center for Autism Research, Evaluation and Service. She said autism can be devastating both emotionally and financially.
"And when you're trying to live your everyday life and come across people who are not kind to you, it's hard," said Sweeten.
The neighbors' accusations and court filings could have ruined the Trussles, but a San Diego Superior Court Judge tossed them all out. In addition, the neighbors have been ordered to reimburse the Trussle's legal fees, which top $12,000.
The woman is a coward. She will run into her house if she thinks I might speak to her. CPS dropped the case, stating it was unfounded.
The woman will spy on us from her driveway and there is really nothing we can do, since she is on her property. I made mention of this incident on my facebook, asking for advice. A friend and neighor from another street is on my facebook and I am guessing said something to her, since we have not seen the woman in weeks.
Too bad you can't move next door. The woman's head would spin.
That’s one way to think about it. Believe me, I’m trying to understand what more could be behind this story, but when the media came, not one woman documented a single incident of violent, unstable, unpredictable behavior. Instead, two of them ran into their homes like frightened field mice, while the third said, “no comment.” The only people who seem unstable and unpredictable are these women.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
Achilles was angry
You would be too.
I do not intend to go down another road with this, but are you or do you live in an LDS neighborhood? This sounds quite a bit like how my family was treated after we left the church.
That’s the real story. Liberal bullies pushing out someone who isn’t like them.
You nailed it!
Yep: “OMIGOD-—he’s got a gun in his house!!”
Homer has just spun around in his grave. After a long life composing unparalleled epics, you have now left him decomposing.
“I have guns, I have dogs (labs), drive a truck, and will be homeschooling my children.”
If it wasn’t for that husband, you would be the perfect woman!
;-)
Would that be the red neck of the woods? :)
Mine, too. There must be something in the composition to raise that impression, but I have an appointment at 1:00 (Eastern) and don't have time to look for it.
This article makes me happy. I’m glad that even the judge did the right thing.
You'll fit in fine in Arizona.
Im about to move... from Tennessee
Keep the still hidden, though.
; )
Maybe the guy had it on his hip one day. *shrug*
Well that's a bit of good news!
Well, given that you hunt and that you have a really cool FR monikor, I’ll patiently wait for the call!
;-)
Good luck with your move.
“””Would that be the red neck of the woods? :)”””””
Yes indeedo...
When my son was a little boy (six year old) we lived in an apartment complex. My son was sitting on a low branch of a tree with one of his friends watching ants crawl on the bark.
A neighbor called the cops on the boys. She then got together with other neighbors, looking for anything they could catch the boys doing which could be considered “bad” by their standard.
This started a 6 month horror which ended with both the boys locked down in our apartments. The police were called for the boys giggling in the hallway, digging at a patch of dirt with spoons, arranging pebbles on the sidewalk (they might *throw* one of them, after all), and pretending to be soldiers with their dad’s helmets under our balcony. The other boy and I were watching the whole time as our boys played and that kept the cops from taking action.
That was when I told my husband that we were buying land in Texas. Never again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.