An elderly man has been arrested for squatting on private property where he had lived in secret for almost three decades.
The story takes place in New Hampshire where 81-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran David Lidstone is facing sanctions after illegally squatting in a forest cabin for 27 years.
According to the reports, the forest cabin where Lidstone had lived prior to his arrest is located along the Merrimack River just miles off Interstate 93. The cabin is allegedly built on property belonging to 86-year-old Leonard Giles who reportedly owns several plots of land in the state.
Giles didn’t find out about Lidstone’s presence on his land for decades until 2015 when someone informed him about a person squatting on his land.
In 2017, following the discovery, Lidstone was ordered to vacate the cabin in the woods and remove his belongings. The veteran, however, refused and went on to claim that the original landowner gave him permission to stay off-grid on his land. The claim could not be proved due to a lack of paperwork.
While the two sides tried to reach an agreement that would suit everyone, all negotiations failed. Now, the 81-year-old was arrested at his cabin of 27 years.
While the judge offered to release the veteran provided he doesn’t return to the home he made for himself on another’s property, the 81-year-old refuses to budge saying he’s ready to sit in jail until her rots.
“He holds the keys to the jailhouse in his hands. He can open the door and leave whenever he’d like. All he has to do is agree to abide by the court’s prior orders,” Judge Andrew Schulman said as he made a reference to a 2017 court order that demanded Lidstone vacates the cabin where he had lived off-grid for nearly three decades.
Responding, the veteran told the judge he would rather rot in his cell than not return to his home which the owner plans to demolish. He also argued that the land the cabin is built on isn’t rightfully owned by Giles.
“You came with your guns, you arrested me, brought me in here, you’ve got all my possessions. You keep’ em. I’ll sit here with your uniform on until I rot, sir,” Lidstone said.
Following the elderly man’s arrest, Lidstone’s supporters, including a kayaker whom he met decades ago, have launched a petition in an attempt to help the old man out.
“He’s just a really, really, big caring guy, and just chooses to live off the grid. It really is about humanity, it really is about compassion, empathy, he’s not hurting anybody,” said kayaker Jodie Gedeon.
In their petition titled ‘Justice for Local Legend River Dave’, the creators also wrote:
“Dave Earl Lidstone aka ‘River Dave’ has been in jail for the past 15 days. The man is currently 81 years old. Lives off the land. He is a veteran a local legend a homesteader and most importantly human being.
“I’d like to petition for Dave to spend his years on the land. He’s always willing to help anyone coming down the river and he always has fresh produce or eggs for the campers. He currently lives off the land he has a PO Box where he gets mail. He grows his own food and raises chickens.
“He shouldn’t owe anybody anything. The property he’s on has a verbal agreement that he could stay there for the remainder of his life but how ever there is no proof of it how ever he’s been on the piece of land for over two decades with no harm to anyone.
“Currently sitting in jail while they’re planning on tearing down his homestead and keeping him off the land that he has spent the last two decades on, and created himself.
“His charge is violation of civil injunction, no bond at this time or release date. Please help me raise awareness of this injustice and hopefully come to an agreement that could potentially benefit all parties.”
As the judge has since confirmed, however, the issue was already resolved back in 2017 and the case can no longer be reopened.
Even if the 81-year-old was somehow allowed to stay at the property, he would still face a major legal battle because the cabin is in violation of various zoning and environmental regulations.
As of this writing, it is not clear where Lidstone will move if he is forced out of his cabin in the woods for good.
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