BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WARFIELD — A late-night trespassing investigation at Warfield Elementary School led to the arrest May 13 of two individuals in a vehicle vandalism case at Dempsey Housing.
Martin County Schools Police Department (MCSPD) charged Ashley Maynard, 18, of Warfield, and Ethan Howard, 18, of Lovely, with first-degree criminal mischief (complicity), second-degree criminal trespassing (complicity) and criminal littering (complicity). The two were taken into custody at Martin County High School.
MCSPD Officer Justin Bellamy launched the investigation May 4 after finding a discarded 99Brand liquor bottle at the bottom of a slide on the Warfield Elementary playground.
While reviewing school surveillance footage, Bellamy observed two males and two females walk from Riverside Apartments and climb over a locked fence to enter the school playground around 10:45 p.m. May 1.
The four were playing on the playground equipment and drinking from what appeared to be alcoholic beverage bottles, Bellamy said.
Bellamy said there was vandalism of vehicles at Dempsey Housing that same night, shortly after the group left school property. The damage reportedly included slashed tires and a substance poured into a vehicle’s gas tank.
During the investigation, Bellamy reviewed additional footage allegedly showing four individuals tampering with a vehicle at Dempsey Housing.
Officers identified Maynard and Howard as students at Martin County High School. Bellamy and MCSPD Chief Chris Kidd later obtained statements from both at the high school.
According to the police report, both admitted to jumping the fence at Warfield Elementary before going to Dempsey Housing. Officers said the pair identified Kadence Hale and Brett Blevins as accompanying them. They alleged that Blevins slashed the tires and poured water into a gas tank.
Police said Maynard told investigators they “got drunk and were acting stupid” and that “things got out of hand.” She allegedly identified all the other suspects and a photograph of Blevins.
Officers transported Maynard and Howard to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office booking room. A transport officer then transferred them to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.
Kidd said additional arrests are pending.
“Thanks to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office for offering additional evidence to help complete the investigation,” MCSPD said in a statement.
All persons are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.