Dispute for rent in RV made a man barricade himself. Authorities force him to surrender
During a tense seven-hour standoff Friday, Jordan Kozyak barricaded himself inside his Hialeah mobile home after an argument with his landlord over money escalated.
The standoff at 556 E. 17th St. was brought to an end by a team of special tactics and Hialeah police officers following three emergency calls made by the homeowners to the city’s 911. Authorities received the initial call around 2 a.m. Friday, reporting a burglary in progress as Kozyak, 46, tried to enter the residence through the attic.
Upon realizing it was not a stranger, the owners called 911, clarifying that it wasn’t a burglary, but then the man barricaded himself inside in the RV they were leasing to him, said Jose Torres, executive officer and spokesperson for Hialeah Police, told El Nuevo Herald.
The property owners had warned Kozyak that failure to pay rent would result in eviction from the mobile home, sparking the lease dispute that led to the barricade.
Kozyak faces charges of attempted burglary of an occupied dwelling and aggravated assault with a firearm, although authorities have yet to locate the gun the owners claim their tenant possessed.
Recently, the city approved an ordinance restricting the use of mobile homes and boats in Hialeah, citing safety concerns. Residents had previously complained about noise from people illegally inhabiting them as permanent residences.
Torres said police will not press charges against the owners who were illegally renting the mobile home, leaving it to the city to verify the violation.
“These are the issues we face with mobile homes; it’s a security problem,” he said.
This story was originally published March 8, 2024 at 12:00 AM.
