A drunken dispute with a neighbor landed a Mount Ulla man behind bars authorities say. The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Nelson Balmore Valenzuela, 23, of the 14000 block of N.C. 801, with second-degree trespass, injury to personal property and communicating threats, all misdemeanors. He remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $3,000 secured bond.
Officials received a call Tuesday around 7 p.m. from neighbor Marilyn Thomas, who lives across the street in the 100 block of Chinquapin Lane. She said she went outside because her dog was barking. When she went outside to check on the dog, she saw Valenzuela yelling obscenities at the dog through the dog fence. She said he appeared impaired and she asked him to leave. Thomas said he then began cursing at her and threatened her.
As deputies arrived, another Chinquapin Lane neighbor, Carlos Santos, said Valenzuela broke his vehicle’s back window out. The deputies went to Valenzuela’s home where he was sitting on the front porch. Valenzuela told deputies he and Santos had been drinking most of the day and they argued. He also told the deputy he went home to avoid “getting into trouble.” He was arrested and charged.