Volusia Co. property appraiser closes office after worker accosted

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Employees at the Volusia County Administration Center are being moved to area offices for their safety.

The county property appraiser told Fox 35 one of his employees was accosted trying to enter the building Friday morning.

The employee said the homeless man came at her aggressively and bumped into her.

County Appraiser Morgan Gilreath called the incident a "physical act of intimidation."

He said his 40 employees are afraid to walk in and out of the building since about 100 homeless people have taken shelter outside after the City of Daytona Beach closed Manatee Island Park.

This stems from an on-going fight between the City of Daytona Beach and Volusia County over where the homeless should go.

On Thursday, the county ordered the city to open Manatee Island Park for the homeless to camp out there.

But Friday, Fox 35 learned the city refuses and says it will remain closed.

Gilreath said he told his employees to take about a weeks worth of work home with them and that the situation will be reassessed next week.