Police: Charges expected after vandalism in Oak Grove Park
WEST MEAD TOWNSHIP — Burnouts, donuts and other forms of vehicular mayhem that occurred last weekend in Oak Grove Park are expected to result in a criminal charge next week, according to West Mead Township Police Department.
A 19-year-old man who resides in the township will face a charge of criminal mischief with restitution, Chief Chip Brown said Friday. The charge will likely be filed by Thursday, Brown added, and the grading of the charge — whether it is considered a summary, misdemeanor or felony offense — will depend on the cost of restitution, which is still being determined.
Brown declined to identify the suspect prior to the charge being filed but said he was driving a full-size dark-colored pickup truck when the damage occurred.
'He had gone down into Oak Grove Park, spun cookies, did burnouts, sort of ripped up the driveway and parking areas that are gravel and then spun out and left black marks out onto Oak Grove Avenue, leaving the park,' Brown said.
Supervisor John Shartle, who is also the township's roadmaster, was more blunt in describing the incident at the Board of Supervisors work session this week.
'The place got all tore to hell over the weekend,' Shartle said, estimating that 25 to 30 tons of crushed stone would be needed for repairs.
'There's a little bit of damage to the yard, but the most damage is that everything that was in the driveway is in the yard, so you can't even mow it,' he said. 'The No. 1 pavilion was just covered with stones on the inside, on the tables, everywhere.'
Oak Grove Park has been the focus of numerous upgrades paid for by township funds, state grants and private donations from residents over the past decade. A playground installed at the 28-acre park cost about $80,000 and restroom improvements cost another $20,000. Signage and fencing have also been upgraded. At the Tuesday work session this week, the secretary-treasurer offered the latest update on improvements, saying that remaining funds from a local grant would be used to add a sign at the entrance to the park.
'There's been a lot of time, money and resources from the township itself put into upgrading and making the park a family friendly and safe area,' Brown said. 'To have somebody go in and just carelessly tear it up for their enjoyment…'
'I can see their frustration when this type of thing happens,' he added, referring to the Board of Supervisors.
It's not the first time Oak Grove Park has been the site of vandalism, though previous incidents involved all-terrain vehicles rather than trucks.
In early 2023, the supervisors' frustration led them to call for help from residents after the township fielded repeated complaints of ATV users damaging playgrounds, mulched beds, gravel drives and other parts of the park over the course of 18 months.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
32 minutes ago
- CBS News
Why are car insurance rates up in Maryland?
Why are car insurance rates up in Maryland? Why are car insurance rates up in Maryland? Why are car insurance rates up in Maryland? One thing everyone is noticing these days is rising costs, and that includes your car insurance. Viewers have asked WJZ why their auto insurance rates are increasing in Maryland. WJZ Anchor Rick Ritter tracked down the answer for this segment of Question Everything. Why is car insurance so expensive? Rick Ritter sat down with Marie Grant, who is Maryland's insurance commissioner. Marie Grant: "Typically in urban environments, we do see higher rates of auto insurance based on experience on what happens to a car in a city. Grant: "What we're seeing here in Maryland and what consumers are feeling are, unfortunately, national trends that consumers in other states are feeling, as well." Data released this year from Insurify shows car insurance costs surged nationally by 15% in 2024. Maryland drivers pay the most for car insurance, according to the website. On average, Marylanders are paying more than $4,000 a year, which is a 53% increase from 2023. Grant: "Maryland, historically, has been in the top quarter of states for auto insurance rates, and that's due in part to the nature of our state." "We tend to drive a lot, with longer commuting distances and a lot of congestion on roads. With pretty heavy traffic and accident rates higher than other states, it all contributes." While congestion and traffic-related incidents play a role, high repair costs are also to blame. AAA A found that today's advanced technology in cars can cost twice as much to repair, and now the threat of tariffs could complicate things even more. Grant: "During the pandemic, costs went down, folks weren't driving as much, and there weren't as many accidents. As Marylanders got back on the road, as well as inflation, the cost of cars then increased." Rick Ritter: "With so much talk about the escalating trade war and the president's tariffs, will it help contribute to rising car insurance rates?" Grant: "Unfortunately, the answer is yes. We haven't seen evidence of that with current rate filings, but if you asked me a month ago without tariffs on the horizon, I would've said trends are looking positive." Climate and crime can be contributing factors to higher costs of insurance, as well. Maryland has seen stolen vehicle claims surge over the last few years, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. If you live in an area with more frequent severe weather, like flooding or wildfires, it can impact your premiums, too. What can Marylanders do to save? Grant says to shop around for several insurers. Most think two or three, but five to 10 is what's recommended. Search for discounts, like safety features or bundling policies, which can help keep costs down. Consider a telematics program that monitors how safe you're driving. Then can bring down rates for you, as well. When in doubt, the insurance commissioner's office lines are always open. The office receives dozens of calls daily from Marylanders inquiring about their rates. "I love hearing from Marylanders. Consumers should definitely reach out to us," Grant said. "Fresh eyes never hurt, so we do want to make sure we are asking tough questions of our insurers to make sure they are putting their best foot forward, and that's what we do." Car insurance adds to a budget From the escalating trade war to inflation, it feels like the cost of everything is going up these days. "It's horrible, from car insurance to groceries," a Baltimore resident said. "Everything feels so expensive," said Yaniv Ezra, an Uber driver and student in the city. "I'm a DoorDash and Uber Eats driver, and you can see that barely anyone is buying anything." The rising prices for utilities, food, and gas, mixed in with skyrocketing car insurance, make things tough. "It's very high," Ezra said. "I'm paying $200 a month now just because I moved to the city."
CBS News
32 minutes ago
- CBS News
Police seek 4 teens in shooting that wounded bystander near Wrigley Field
Chicago Police have issued a community alert asking for help in finding four teens wanted in a shooting that wounded a bystander right across from Wrigley Field last month. Police said a 26-year-old man was shot in the arm around 7 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at Sheffield and Waveland avenues, across from the northeast corner of the ballpark and near the famous Murphy's Bleachers bar. Witnesses described a group of teens getting into a quarrel next to Murphy's Bleachers before the shooting. Police have identified four boys believed to be between the ages of 15 and 17, all of whom they say were involved in discharging the gun. Police released surveillance video of the teenage boys on an 'L' train. Chicago Police Chicago police took a person of interest in custody right after the shooting, but that person was released without charges the following day. Anyone with information about the boys being sought in the shooting is asked to call Belmont Area detectives at 312-744-8261, or submit an anonymous tip to and use reference #JJ-256188.
CBS News
36 minutes ago
- CBS News
San Francisco Marina District close to having new transitional-housing facility
A recovery housing facility proposed in San Francisco's Marina District is closer to moving one step closer to final approval. It's a part of the mayor's plans to open hundreds of new beds for homeless people struggling with addiction. Steve Adami spent two decades in and out of prison, struggling to escape a vicious cycle of drug addiction and crime. Looking at a California Corrections picture of himself, he reflected on how far he has come in his journey. "It's someone I don't recognize anymore. It was definitely somebody who needed a lot of help and support to get his life together, and that's what I got," said Adami. Tackling San Francisco's drug and homelessness crisis is now Adami's mission as executive director of The Salvation Army's The Way Out program. "Areas of the city have been overrun by public drug use, open-air drug markets and crime. I don't want that model in my neighborhood either. But that's not the model we're proposing at the Marina Inn," said Adami. The recovery housing facility, providing 68 beds at Octavia and Lombard Street in the Marina District, will be operated by The Salvation Army in partnership with the city's Department of Public Health. It's an abstinence-based, two-year transitional housing program for people who have already completed long-term drug treatment "This model program has not been the type of program San Francisco has used in the past," said Adami. Everyone is required to work, save money and get drug tested. "Sadly, many of the residents of this faculty will relapse. Statistics just show that's the case. When they do, they're now in our neighborhood," said San Francisco resident Maurice Fitzgerald, who lives in the Marina District. While many residents believe drug-free transitional housing can help clean up city streets and even help nearby businesses, others like Fitzgerald say they're concerned about relapses and participants who have criminal backgrounds. "We have concerns this will increase car break-ins and that desperate drug addicts will do whatever they need to do to find money to get their fix," said Fitzgerald. Adami and other city officials said sex offenders, arsonists, and people who have committed crimes against children won't be allowed. Garrett Collard is a resident at a similar recovery housing program. He said he would be back on the streets if it weren't for the Salvation Army's pilot program. "You're just right back where you started. You go six months and are clean, but if you have nowhere else to go or stay in another program or go to a sober living environment, you're back on the streets," said Collard. Adami points to participants like Collard and to recovering addicts like himself as reasons to support the city's Break the Cycle initiative, aiming to add hundreds of new treatment and recovery beds across the city. "The current administration and the Department of Public Health and Department of Homelessness are implementing new abstinence-based strategies because they're proven to be effective," said Adami. It's programs like this that are giving Adami hope others can follow in his footsteps too. The city has announced plans to open nearly 300 treatment and interim housing beds at five sites across the city by the end of summer. It's part of the mayor's Break the Cycle initiative to add 1,500 beds citywide for homeless people and those struggling with mental illness and addiction.
