Midwestern man shoots mower, voids warranty

A 56-year-old man from the Wisconsin has been arrested after shooting his "Lawn-Boy" mower because it would not start.

Last Updated: 12:03PM BST 26 Jul 2008

Keith Walendowski told police he shot his lawnmower because it was not working Photo: AP

"I can do that," Keith Walendowski told Milwaukee police after his arrest. "It’s my lawn mower and my yard, so I can shoot it if I want."

Police charged Mr Walendowski with possession of a short-barreled shotgun or rifle and disorderly conduct.

He could face a fine of up to $11,000 and six years and three months in prison, if convicted.

A woman who lives with Mr Walendowski told police he had been drinking, according to the complaint.

Police arrested Mr Walendowski in his basement and recovered a shotgun, shells, a handgun and also a stun gun at the home.

Mr Walendowski said he would tell police "the truth," according to the complaint.

"I got pissed because my lawn mower wouldn’t start, so I got my shotgun and shot it," he said.

As for the mower, a local retailer said the gunshot damage could make its repair unlikely.

"Anything not factory recommended would void the warranty," Dick Wagner of Wagner’s Garden Mart told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.