BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WARFIELD — A trespassing investigation at Warfield Elementary School led to the arrest of four individuals accused of vandalizing vehicles at Dempsey Housing.
The Martin County Schools Police Department 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). Officers took the pair into custody May 13 at Martin County High School.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kadence Hale, 19, of Inez, and Brett Blevins, 20, of Beauty, on the same charges May 15 in Inez.
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 saw two males and two females walk from Riverside Apartments and climb over a locked fence to enter the playground around 10:45 p.m. May 1.
Bellamy said the four played on the playground equipment and drank from what appeared to be alcoholic beverage bottles.
Shortly after the group left school property, Bellamy said someone vandalized vehicles at Dempsey Housing. The damage reportedly included slashed tires and a substance poured into a vehicle’s gas tank.
During the investigation, Bellamy reviewed additional footage that allegedly showed 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 school.
According to the police report, Maynard and Howard admitted they jumped the fence at the school before going to Dempsey Housing. Officers said the pair identified Hale and Blevins as accompanying them. They allegedly stated 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 the other suspects and a photograph of Blevins.
“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.