BY LISA STAYTON
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — A man arrested Saturday in connection with vandalism at the Brookshire Inn in Inez told police officers that he acted “in the name of love.”

Kentucky State Police Post 9 troopers responded to a distress call around 12:30 a.m. The caller reported an intoxicated individual trying to break the windows out of cars and spray-painting cars at the motel on Blacklog Road.

Upon arrival at the scene, Troopers Trevor Spurlock and Kyle Amburgey immediately observed the word “LOVE” spray-painted in black across the motel’s exterior and all over a car in the parking lot.

They found the suspect, identified as 57-year-old William Preece of Inez, at the scene with “watery and bloodshot eyes.”

“Mr. Preece was very sped up with his speech and all over the place when trying to speak with myself and Trooper Amburgey,” Spurlock stated in the police report.

Preece told police that he spray-painted the building and the car “in the name of love.”

He was detained and transported to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville.

“During transport, Mr. Preece stated without question that he would kick my back window out if I did not turn my emergency lights on,” Spurlock reported. “Mr. Preece also stated that once we got to the jail, it would not be good.”

Once at the detention center, Preece allegedly directed “sexual comments” toward the troopers.

Preece faces charges of disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, and public intoxication by a controlled substance other than alcohol.