Woman Charged With Cutting Down City-Owned Tree

PALOS VERDES ESTATES (AP) — A woman who was prosecuted earlier this year for improperly renting out her lavish estate for weekend weddings has more legal trouble on her hands.

The Daily Breeze of Torrance reported Tuesday that Palos Verdes officials said Melahat Uzumcu is facing misdemeanor charges for ordering a 25-foot city-owned palm tree near her home cut down and tossed over the edge of a cliff.

City planning director Allan Rigg says the tree, a Canary Island date palm with a 4-foot-diameter trunk, was located on municipal property. He tells the Daily Breeze that the tree landed at the base of a 100-foot-high blufftop in an area frequented by fishermen and other beachgoers.

Police say Uzumcu is charged with misdemeanor vandalism and illegal dumping.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)