OAK HILL, WV (WOAY) – A local father and softball coach wants justice after vandals left behind graffiti and drug packaging at Oak Hill City Park.
“I was furious,” said Andrew Brett. “It’s probably a good thing they weren’t still here because I was furious at the time.”
The dad-turned-softball coach and Fayette County deputy wants answers.
“[It’s probably] kids that just don’t know any better. They think it’s funny. They’ve been raised to think it’s okay, which the problem is with their parents at that point. [It could also be] adults. They don’t have anywhere else to go and they shot their whole life into their veins.”
Last week, Brett and his father found various areas of the park damaged and vandalized. To make matters worse, the vandals left evidence of drug use as well.
“All throughout the season, you find little zip-lock bags with the characters and the colors on them all throughout the park, especially when you’re the first person here.”
The vandals target the press box and concession stand.
“On the concession stand, the door knob was beaten off and there were footprints and dents in the door, so you can see they tried to kick the doors in. They bent the metal on the window on the sliding window. They’ve thrown obscene gestures on the back of the concession stand. They busted the door knob and the lock on the press box on the little league field and broke every piece of glass in there, broke all of our PA equipment, tore the wires out. I would say it’s probably [up to] $6,000 of damage total.”
There is no way of knowing how many vandals are behind the incidents, but Brett says he won’t let this go until he knows who needs to answer for it.
“I’ve talked to Oak Hill city prosecutor Brian Parsons. He will prosecute them in the city court the fullest extent he can, which usually means 30 days in jail and they could do community service. If I can, as a Fayette County deputy, show $2,500 worth of damage, that’s a felony and I’ll put them in prison for it.”
If you see the vandals in action or know who they may be, call the police department.
