Monday, June 9, 2008, 1:00 p.m.
An 18-year old Three Rivers man is under arrest, and a 16-year old youth, also from the Three Rivers section of Palmer, will be summoned to juvenile court on charges filed against them today by Palmer Police in connection with the vandalism that took place at town cemeteries last week. The pair will also face charges for vandalizing property at Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School during the same incident.
Detective Sergeant Scott E. Haley arrested DANIEL R. FAIR, 18, of 33 off Lariviere Street, Three Rivers, this morning after spending the weekend investigating the incident, which occurred this past Thursday. Haley is also preparing to file an application for criminal complaint, in the Palmer Juvenile Court, against the 16-year old male youth, who cannot be identified because of his age.
Both individuals are being charged with 26 counts of vandalizing gravestones. These charges stem from the vandalism that occurred at the Four Corners and St. Anne Cemeteries where a total of 26 gravestones were toppled. The two suspects are also being charged with single counts of vandalizing property and trespassing. These charges stem from the vandalism that occurred at Pathfinder where a window was smashed and flowers and landscaping were damaged.
Palmer Police have been investigating the matter since the incident was reported at about 8:00 a.m. on Thursday. Police received assistance in the investigation from the school administration at Pathfinder who turned over surveillance video that showed two youths on bicycles vandalizing Pathfinder property just before midnight on Wednesday. Also, in response to an appeal for assistance from the public, police received a call from a Three Rivers resident that reported seeing two young men on bicycles in the area early Thursday morning. The resident provided a description of the suspects to the police department.
Based on the information police received, Detective Sergeant Haley began canvassing the area and was able to identify the two suspects, who were subsequently questioned and who ultimately admitted to committing the vandalism.
Palmer Police Chief Robert P. Frydryk credits the assistance from the public and the hard work of Detective Sergeant Haley from bringing the case to a close. “We didn’t have a lot to work with, but thanks to the assistance we received from the public and to Detective Sergeant Haley’s tenacity, we were able to identify and charge the individuals who violated the sanctity these burial places,” said Frydryk.
Chief Frydryk also said that, in order to complete the investigation, the Palmer Police would like to hear from family members of those whose gravestones were toppled so police can compile a list of victims and the calculate cost to repair the damage. Anyone with information can call Detective Sergeant Scott E. Haley at (413) 283-8792
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