A Daytona Beach Flea Market vendor was arrested after she pepper-sprayed a competing vendor and threatened to kill him while pointing a BB gun at him, Volusia deputies said.
Deputies' investigation revealed that Lynda Woodruff, 68, and Salomon Tivoli, 70, have similar competing businesses identified in reports as "smoke shops" at the flea market located at 1425 Tomoka Farms Road, officials said.
Woodruff was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery on a person over 65 years old or older. Court records show she is free on $7,500 bail.
Reached by telephone Monday, Woodruff said she was advised by her attorney not to talk about the case but briefly shared how she felt.
"I have been at the flea market for 21 years," Woodruff said. "This is the first time I'm in trouble and I regret the whole thing. I'm just sick about it."
On Saturday, deputies were called to the flea market at 12:48 p.m. where Woodruff said Tivoli had insulted her and she told him to "shut up," a report detailed.
Woodruff denied threatening and pointing the BB gun at Tivoli, deputies said.
Tivoli reported that he had just finished a transaction when he turned around facing Woodruff's shop. It was then that Woodruff pepper-sprayed him in the face and then pointed the BB gun at him saying, "I'll kill you (expletive)," investigators said.
Tivoli described the firearm as black with a beige handle, the report said.
Woodruff allowed deputies to search her stall and located a black Winchester air pistol with a brown handle, a report revealed.
Investigators said they also found a canister of pepper spray called "The Disabler."