Friends of bulldozer driver say he was a nice guy

Heemeyer, who previously owned a muffler business in the town, had a 3-year-old zoning dispute with the town. He opposed the Mountain Park Concrete plant locating next to his business, Mountain View Muffler, and sued the town.Peter Dietze, the attorney who represented Heemeyer, said that his client had a legitimate concern about the impact the plant would have on his business. Dietze said other neighbors also opposed the plant. "It seems like Marv was getting blackballed with the whole property and zoning issue," said John Bauldree, who used to go snowmobiling with Heemeyer. A judge eventually dismissed the lawsuit. Heemeyer was later fined $2,500 for not having a septic tank and for other city code violations at his business.When he paid the fine, he enclosed a note with his check saying "Cowards," Town Manager Tom Hale told the Associated Press. "We felt he was venting his frustration that he didn't get his way," Hale said of the note. "We didn't think he was going to do something like this."Sid Cannon, who now lives in Palisade and has been friends with Heemeyer for more than ten years, said the town kept changing its rules. "He kept trying to do the right thing, but he kept running into obstacles and brick walls," said Cannon, who added that Heemeyer had tried to hook up to nearby sewer lines but wasn't allowed to. Cannon said Heemeyer was treated as an outsider from the time he bought the property back in the early 90s."All he was trying to do is make it, he just wanted to work to make his money to do the things he liked to do," said Bauldree, who added that Heemeyer was a fun-loving guy who liked to play hard and work hard.Ken Heemeyer said his brother Marvin "would bend over backwards for anyone." "He had issues with people in Granby," said Ken Heemeyer. While many people described Heemeyer as a likeable guy, others said he was not someone to cross. Christie Baker told the Denver Post that Heemeyer threatened her husband after he refused to pay for some muffler work. Granby resident Nancy Healey had a friend who dated Heemeyer. "He did have a temper," she told the Post.A 9NEWS record check found that Heemeyer was a plantiff or defendant in at least 12 lawsuits, mostly involving money and foreclosures on homes and businesses.Mavin Heemeyer has lived in Colorado for the past 20 years and previously owned other small business, including Boulder Muffler, which he sold in April, Scottie Muffler on Broadway in Denver and Mister Muffler in Wheatridge.