Saturday, October 8, 2011

Halloween is on the way


It's becoming the most famous, and controversial lawn mower in North Carolina. A homeowner, just wanting to pull a little Halloween prank, created a scene that prompted at least one call to 911 and thousands of hits on web sites across the world.

The Halloween decor at a home along Organ Church Road in eastern Rowan County scared a driver so much that he called 911, nearly prompting a full emergency response.

The call came into the county's 911 Communication Center Monday morning after the caller stated that he saw what appeared to be a man trapped under a riding lawn mower.

Luckily, someone else quickly let the 911 folks know it was a decoration, just in time to stop what would have been an emergency response.

As seen in the pictures taken Monday by WBTV, the scene does appear realistic. The blood covered arms and legs stick out from beneath a blood spattered lawn mower on a large patch of grass.

Chris Deaton's Halloween display has been getting another response around town, and it's been a big one...

"It's something to talk about around town," said Wendy Bethea, the clerk on duty at Cheesman's Store. "I've had a couple customers talking about it, being out there."

And online, the story has hit CNN, the Daily Mail in the UK, and it's gotten lots of comments on wbtv.com, most questioning whether the macabre decoration goes too far.

"I think it's harmless, I think it's fun, Halloween," Bethea added.

That's what most seem to say, others think a Happy Halloween sign would have made it better...or maybe just some more calm and sedate, like the gruesome scenes on Faith Road.

Chris Deaton wasn't available today. His mother told WBTV that he had the same decoration up close to the house last year, but decided to move it to the road this year.

He has been amused at all the attention it has gotten.