An Elmore County teenager remains in the Montgomery County Junvenile Detention Facility after a juvenile judge denied bond during a court hearing Monday afternoon. The suspect is accused of causing thousands of dollars in damages to two vehicles used by the Titus volunteer fire department.
Fire Chief Wayne Moore said Elmore County Sheriff's Department deputies arrested the 16-year-old male about 4 a.m. Saturday.
The teen allegedly took a fire truck out for a joy ride Friday night and crashed it into a tree. Moore said it's a total loss and could cost about 125-thousand dollars to replace. Chief Moore says the fire department is talking with an insurance company replacing the truck with a used vehicle.
The boy returned the same night in an attempt to steal a larger truck. Moore said it was damaged after he drove it out of the fire station and rolled it back into one of the station's garage doors.
A nearby concession stand and building firefighters used as a "haunted house" during annual fundraisers also were damaged.
The 16-year-old's name is being withheld due to his age. Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said several personal items left behind by the teen led to his arrest.
Moore said the boy lived in the community and even played with his own children. Chief Moore also said residents in the Titus community shouldn't be concerned about fire protection, but Moore did day the vandalism could cause the response time to be a bit slower and more expensive since firefighters will have to use larger trucks which eat up more gasoline.
The suspect's next court date is set for February 22.
Republished with permission of WSFA-TV.
Related Stories
