Furious Florida man threatens Lake County kids with knives over go-kart engine revving, deputies say

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly walked over to his neighbor's house, grabbed two knives, and threatened two kids who were in the garage working on their go-kart, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Richard "Rick" Carter, 57, was booked into jail on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, according to the arrest report. 

Affidavit: Kids were revving the engine to test carburetor

What we know:

Shortly after 8 p.m. on June 8, Lake County deputies responded to a home on Eryn Boulevard after two kids said one of their neighbors had threatened them over the apparent noise while they were working on their go-kart.

According to the arrest report, Carter was irate over the noises and engine sounds coming from the garage. He allegedly walked to their house, yelled at them, threw a lawn chair, and picked up two knives – a large kitchen knife and a meat cleaver-type knife -- that were sitting next to an outdoor fire pit. 

One of the kids told deputies that Carter threatened to bash their heads if the go-kart engine was started again, the report said. However, the kids were unsure if that alleged threat was directed at both of them or one of them. 

The kids told deputies that they were revving the engine to tune the carburetor, acknowledging that it was loud. 

One of the kids, who did not live at the house, but was visiting, told deputies that he was afraid for his life, put his hands up, and walked backwards towards his 4-wheeler, and drove home, the report said. The boy's mother told deputies that "their son arrived home so terrified he could barely speak to tell them what happened," the report said.

Affidavit: Suspect grabbed two knives because they were convenient 

The other side:

Carter told deputies that the go-kart noise was an ongoing disturbance in the neighborhood and that he felt one of the kids made the noise to purposely annoy him, the report said.

He told deputies that he was angry about the noise and grabbed the two knives because they were "convenient items." In bodycam video, he told deputies that he would have grabbed anything because he was so mad, specifically mentioning a wrench.

A judge granted him $10,000 bond. He was released around 2 a.m. on June 9, according to online jail records. It is unclear if he had an attorney representing him, as one was not yet listed on the Clerk of Court website.

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