Disputes among neighbors land three in jail

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GREENFIELD — Two separate disputes among Greenfield neighbors led to guns being drawn and landed three people in jail this week, police say.

Those involved now face felony charges, records show.

Larry Todd, 51, was arrested after he reportedly fired several gunshots into the air around 2 a.m. Tuesday outside his home near Walnut and Noble streets in Greenfield. The man fired the gun because he was angry with one of his neighbors, according to investigators.

Later the same day, around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 74-year-old Helen Levine was arrested after she allegedly pointed a pistol at her neighbor during a separate disagreement, records show. She argued that she was trying to protect herself because she thought she’d heard the neighbor say he was going to shoot her, according to court documents.

Helen’s husband, 75-year-old Jack Levine, was also arrested, records show. Police say the man became agitated when officers arrived and shouted further threats at the neighbor and investigators.

The two instances were unrelated.

All three defendants were booked into the Hancock County Jail Tuesday but have since posted bond and were released, records show.

Todd, 202 N. Noble St., Greenfield, now faces a single Level 6 felony count of criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon.

Emergency dispatch records show a neighbor called 911 after hearing gunshots early Tuesday.

Investigators with the Greenfield Police Department searched the area and quickly identified Todd as the suspect. The man had been arguing with a neighbor just before the shots were fired, records state.

Police say Todd fired at least two shots in an unknown direction. No one was injured in the incident and no property has been reported damaged, according to a new release.

The Levines, 1856 S. County Road 150W, Greenfield, were working to clear a tree limb that fell onto their neighbors’ fence Tuesday evening just before Hancock County Sheriff’s deputies were called.

Helen Levine told officers that she thought she heard her neighbor say “shoot them, shoot them, shoot them,” according to court documents. She pulled out a gun she was carrying to protect herself, she said.

But the couple’s neighbors showed police a cellphone video of the incident, which showed Helen Levine coming onto the neighbors’ property and pointing a gun at them threateningly, according to court documents.

As deputies were putting Helen Levine in handcuffs, her husband became unruly, court documents state.

Jack Levine shouted that he’d kill his neighbors and shoot at law enforcement if they tried to come into his house, court documents state. He then fought with deputies as they tried to restrain him, court documents state.

Now, Helen Levine faces two Level 6 felony counts of pointing a firearm and one Level 6 felony count of criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon.

Jack Levine faces one Level 6 felony count of intimidation and one Class A misdemeanor of resisting law enforcement.

The case against each defendant is filed in Hancock County Superior Court 2.

Level 6 felony counts carry penalties of up to 2 ½ years in jail. Class A misdemeanors carry penalties of up to one year in jail.