A newly elected East Texas mayor has been accused of threatening to ticket and fine a woman $500 daily in a messy yard dispute.
Hawkins Mayor William Rogers was arrested Monday on a misdemeanor official oppression charge and freed on $1,000 bond.
Fire Marshal Eileen Frazier says the mayor is not authorized to write tickets or issue fines.
Rogers, who was elected in May, denied wrongdoing. He didn't immediately returned messages Tuesday.
An arrest affidavit says Rogers on July 10 stopped at a house and told a resident she must clean up her yard or he would ticket and fine her. Code enforcement officials later said the grass did not violate city rules.
Hawkins is a town of about 1,300, located 90 miles east of Dallas.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
