Deputies said the tractor stopped about 15 feet from the crew after its front forks dug into the ground.
LEESBURG, FL — A 52-year-old Lake County man faces a felony charge after deputies said he threatened roadside workers and drove a tractor toward them during a dispute over flashing safety lights.
The confrontation happened Monday night near County Road 452 and Felkins Road in Leesburg, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said Johnny Paulk approached the crew near his property and argued with workers about warning lights being used at the roadside work site.
Deputies said workers recorded parts of the confrontation on their cellphones. Investigators who reviewed the footage said Paulk threatened to flip the crew’s vehicle before returning with a tractor and driving it toward the workers.
The tractor stopped about 15 feet from the crew when its front forks dug into the ground, deputies said. No injuries were reported in the accounts released by authorities and local news organizations.
Workers told responding deputies that they believed they had been in danger. One worker said Paulk had threatened to flip their truck. Another said the tractor’s forks were stopped by the ground before the vehicle could reach them.
Body camera footage showed a deputy reviewing video of the confrontation and speaking with members of the crew. Deputies later found the tractor parked behind a mobile home on Paulk’s property and arrested him without further incident, according to the sheriff’s office.
Paulk was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The charge is an allegation, and court records had not established his guilt as of Sunday.
Jail records cited by local news outlets showed that Paulk was released Tuesday after posting a $5,000 bond. Authorities said he was expected to appear in court in August, though a specific hearing date was not released in the reports reviewed.
The dispute centered on flashing lights placed near the roadside work area. Such lights are used to alert approaching drivers and make workers more visible, particularly during nighttime operations. A former roadside flagger who lives near the scene told reporters that the lights are important for protecting crews and motorists.
No additional charges or injuries had been announced. The case remained pending, and Paulk’s response to the allegation was not available in the reviewed reports.
Author note: Last updated August 2, 2026.