A man who dressed up in a Santa Claus costume on Christmas Eve morning and terrorized his neighbor with a machete remains in jail tonight.
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51-year-old Neil Champagne sits at the Putnam County Jail with a bond set to $2,500.
Putnam County deputies arrested Champagne after they said he wrote the word “pedophile” with chalk at the end of his neighbor’s driveway.
The victim shared security camera videos with Action News Jax Shanila Kabir that showed Champagne on multiple days making threats and defaming comments.
“He has threatened to kill me and my wife numerous times. We had to put up these security cameras because of him.”
The victim did not want to be identified for his safety.
The sheriff’s office said deputies responded to 61 calls for service at the home in the span of two months, all involving Champagne.
The victim said he was stunned to finally see Champagne arrested.
As to why Neil Champagne decided to wear a Santa Claus costume while standing outside of his home that morning, the victim said he does not know.
Neighbors agree that Neil Champagne had been creating havoc for months. Numerous people told Action News Jax they saw Champagne circulating his neighbor’s home yelling profanities.
“There would be officers driving into the neighborhood and sitting for hours outside of his camper watching him.”
Another neighbor who also asked to remain anonymous said it was an early Christmas gift to Champagne taken away by law enforcement.
“I saw a man dressed as Santa Claus running across the street into the house, then I saw the police chase behind him. Another officer pulled him back into the road and handcuffed him.”
In the security video footage provided by the victim, you can see Neil Champagne standing at the edge of his neighbor’s property shouting, spitting, and making hand gestures- some obscene.
“He always yelled at him calling him a child molester.”
Action News Jax found no indication the victim was associated with any child sex crime.
Several neighbors told Action News Jax that Champagne’s behavior towards his victim seemed unbearable.
“It escalated to where Neil Champagne bought a sound system that would amplify songs about children being molested and child molestation.”
After Champagne’s arrest on early Christmas Eve morning, neighbors said at least Christmas Day was peaceful.
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