Cecilia Ross had a message for the pest control salesman who came knocking in her Florida neighborhood: Stay away from my house, or I will kill you. The 62-year-old Lehigh Acres woman is now facing aggravated assault charges after police say she pulled up alongside the door-to-door worker in her black Nissan SUV and pointed a handgun at his face.
The incident unfolded when the salesman was working for Enviroguard Pest Control on Tuesday afternoon, going house to house on his one-wheel hoverboard in Ross' Lehigh Acres neighborhood. According to a Lee County Sheriff's Office booking report, Ross approached from behind in her SUV, rolled down her window, and allegedly produced a black Ruger SR22 handgun.
If you come back to my house, I will f—ing kill you. I'll f—ing shoot you, Ross allegedly told him, according to the report. The salesman raised both hands in surrender and began riding away on his hoverboard as Ross drove off. He immediately took photos of her SUV, including the license plate, before hiding near another home in the area out of fear he would still be shot.
Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a call from the salesman around 1 p.m. that day. When officers arrived, they found him hiding and visibly shaking. The victim told investigators he feared for his life after Ross allegedly threatened him at gunpoint.
Background
Ross' home in Lehigh Acres displayed several no trespassing signs, including one reading, Guarded three nights a week — you guess which nights, according to local ABC/NBC affiliate WZVN/WBBH. The neighborhood sits in unincorporated Lee County, Florida, east of Fort Myers. This incident represents a troubling escalation from what began as a routine door-to-door sales interaction.
The salesman told investigators he was working for Enviroguard Pest Control and approaching homes legitimately when Ross allegedly intercepted him with her vehicle. Door-to-door salespeople often work hoverboard-style routes to cover neighborhoods efficiently, making them visible targets in residential areas like Lehigh Acres, where signs warning against solicitation are common.
The Charges
After taking the license plate photos, investigators were able to identify Ross and locate her residence. Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies executed a search warrant at her home, where they discovered the alleged weapon — a black Ruger SR22 handgun — inside her bedroom dresser drawer. The firearm matches the description provided by the victim in his initial statement to police.
Ross was arrested on Tuesday evening and booked into the Lee County Jail on Wednesday morning. She was charged with one count of aggravated assault, a felony offense in Florida that carries potential prison time upon conviction. Ross posted $7,500 bond and was released from custody later that same day while her case proceeds through the court system.
Key Takeaways
- Cecilia Ross, 62, has been charged with aggravated assault following an alleged confrontation with a pest control salesman in Lehigh Acres, Florida
- Police say Ross pulled alongside the worker in her black Nissan SUV and pointed a Ruger SR22 handgun at his face while issuing death threats
- The salesman raised his hands in surrender before riding away on his hoverboard; he was visibly shaking when speaking with investigators
- A search warrant led authorities to recover the alleged weapon from Ross' bedroom dresser drawer
- Ross posted $7,500 bond and was released from Lee County Jail after a brief detention period
What's Next
Ross is due to appear in court for her first hearing on August 10. Her case will be prosecuted through the Lee County court system, where she faces a single aggravated assault charge. Florida law defines aggravated assault as an assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill — a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in state prison and a $5,000 fine. Defense counsel has not yet filed an appearance in the case, and no plea has been entered.