The Rio Rancho Police Department arrested Patricia Granger, 67, of Rio Rancho, on April 13 for multiple charges after allegedly shooting at contractors who were cutting down her fence.

The contractors were not injured, according to the criminal complaint.

According to the complaint, Granger called police and said the contractors were cutting down her fence at her residence near Sandia Blvd. and Rainbow Blvd. She also confessed to firing three shots at them.

She told officers that problems with the contractors have occurred since they started building the house next door. They were previously building a wall and it was interfering with her fence, which is over the property line.

Granger said the contractors came to her door and told her they needed to move her fence to finish building the wall. She said she did not give them permission to cut down her fence, and several minutes later she heard saws in her backyard, went outside and saw the three contractors cutting down her fence. She then went back inside, grabbed her handgun, loaded it and went back outside. She said that she aimed the firearm away from the males — but still in their direction — and fired three shots into the ground about 25 yards in front of her. She then went back inside and called the police.

The construction workers told police she exited her house from the back door, pointed a handgun at them and fired four to five rounds. They then ran away out of fear for their lives.

There was a bullet impact on the side of 629 First Street, where the construction workers were standing and working.

Granger gave officers permission to see the gun she had used  and showed them where she stored her firearm in her bedroom. Officers located a black and brown .22 revolver. The revolver holds six bullets in the cylinder, and inside the cylinder were five empty casings and one unused bullet.

Granger will be charged for three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at a dwelling or occupied building and negligent use of a deadly weapon.

If convicted, Granger could face 18 months in jail and five years on probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 18 months for shooting at a dwelling or occupied building and less than six months for negligent use of a deadly weapon.