“I can.”
“Then stop them.”
I looked at the paper.
Michael Chen had told me one thing repeatedly.
Do not obstruct people physically.
Do not create a confrontation.
Use law.
Use documentation.
Use emergency authorities if needed.
I called him.
He said:
“Send a final written warning.”
“To everybody.”
“Contractor too if you can identify them.”
“I can.”
Apex had a website.
I sent the notice.
Attached the county letter.
Attached the easement.
Attached the survey.
I addressed it to Jim Mercer and the company owner.
No response.
Then I sent my final notice to the board.
I chose every word carefully.
I am formally notifying you that I do not own or control the bridge structure located within the recorded flood-control access corridor behind my residence.
I do not authorize entry for the purpose of demolishing public infrastructure.
I do not have legal authority to remove, alter, or modify the structure.
Public records and direct written confirmation from the flood-control district have been provided repeatedly.
Any person or entity proceeding with demolition does so despite actual notice of disputed ownership, recorded easement rights, and environmental restrictions associated with Coho Creek.
I strongly advise the board and its contractors to suspend all activity pending written authorization from the relevant public agencies.
Susan responded fifty-two minutes later.
Mr. Harding,
Your sovereign-citizen-style arguments and continued obstruction will not prevent lawful HOA enforcement.
The bridge comes down next week.
See you Tuesday.
Susan Whitmore
I forwarded it to Michael.
His response contained six words.
Please save this in three places.
I did.
November 12 arrived.
I took vacation from work.
Sarah wanted to stay home.
I told her not to.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“What if they get aggressive?”
“I’m not getting close.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Record.”
“And then?”
“Let them make their choice.”
At 6:30, I checked the cameras.
Deck.
Tree.
Upstairs window.
All recording locally and backing up remotely.
I walked the property line.
Photographed the bridge before work began.
Clear deck.
Steel intact.
No debris in creek.
I photographed the grass.
The bank.
The water.
At 7:03, the flatbed arrived.
Then Susan.
Then Greg.
Then two board members.
By 7:15, Jim had been warned on camera.
By 7:19, the first timber went into the creek.
By 7:31, three deck sections had been removed.
Some were placed on the bank.
Two ended up partially submerged.
Jim started pulling cross-members.
Susan watched.
Greg took photos.
At one point, Susan said loudly:
“Maybe now people will understand the rules apply to everyone.”
My tree camera recorded it perfectly.
At 7:36, the excavator grabbed one of the steel beams.
That required real force.
The bridge had been anchored into concrete.
The machine rocked.
Metal screamed.
One anchor connection failed.
Then another.
The beam twisted.
Part of the upstream bank collapsed with it.
Brown sediment clouded the water.
I went inside.
First call: