87-year-old accused of bullying 71-year-old (video)

Posted: 6:37 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, 2012

87-year-old accused of bullying 71-year-old
By Tom Jones





ATLANTA —

An 87-year-old woman is accused of antagonizing a neighbor at a public housing complex for two years.

Police have been called to the Marian Road Hi-Rise Senior Apartments in northeast Atlanta twice. The woman has been cited and ordered to stay away from her alleged victim.

"You just can't understand what it's like to live in fear," 71-year-old Bernadine Jones said.

Jones said she is terrified of her neighbor Maria Zuravinski. But Zuravinski said Jones is the problem.

"She [is] crazy," Zuravinski said.

Jones said the conflict began two years ago when she disturbed a rosebush that Zuravinski planted in the garden at the public housing complex on Sidney Marcus Boulevard.

Jones said Zuravinski attacked her, hitting her with her cane. She said she called her racist names before spitting on her, saying "That belongs to me. You don't plant there. That's my land."

Zuravinski was charged with battery in the 2010 incident. Jones said Zuravinski was given anger management courses and ordered to stay away from her.

Last month, police cited Zuravinski again and ordered her to stay 200 yards away from Jones. But Jones said the orders are being ignored.

Channel 2 Action News was at the complex as Zuravinski tried to hit Jones' dog with her cane as a dog walker got out of an elevator with the animal.

"Hey, hey, don't hit this dog," the dog walker said.

Jones said it was another example of how Zuravinski is destroying her life.

"Since I moved here my life has been just pure hell,” she said.

An Atlanta Housing Authority representative said the authority is trying to evict Zuravinski but its hands are tied until a judge rules on the eviction. Zuravinski denies hitting Jones.

Jason B. wrote:You would think that 71 y/o would be able to pimp slap the older one.