Two teens were arrested after being accused of starting a fire in the bathrooms and causing serious damage at the Pelican Baseball Complex in Cape Coral.
On Wednesday morning, Cape Coral police responded to the complex at 4128 Pelican Boulevard.
According to the Cape Coral Police Department, a city park ranger was contacted by a crew about extensive damage in the park’s bathrooms.
CCPD said a fire had been set in both the men’s and women’s bathrooms. The sinks, soap dispensers and toilet paper dispensers had also been broken off the walls and left smashed on the floors.
Burnt items were also thrown into the toilets.
According to CCPD, security footage showed a boy and a girl entering the bathrooms at approximately 2:05 a.m., and shortly after, smoke was seen billowing from the bathrooms.
The suspects were later identified as PW, 16, and KM, 15; however, police had not located them yet.
CCPD said it received more reports of arson on Thursday, and the suspects returned to the Pelican Baseball Complex and ignited several garbage cans, burned a wooden table and an American flag. According to police, the fire caused significant damage to a city building between the baseball fields.
Books from an outdoor library by the playground were burned, and signs of foul play were evident both outside and inside the facility.
Yandel Abreu, who practices with the Ace Elite Baseball team, expressed his disbelief, saying, “Terrible. I don’t know why people do it. I never seen this before here and over there too.”
According to the news release, on Thursday, the teens also went to Cape Christian Church and ignited a church T-shirt and a sign.
On Thursday afternoon, police received a call from an individual at Cape Christian that the teens had returned.
Chris Stroka, Cape Christian’s director of business operations, described the damage at the church, saying, “They started a fire on a metal platform. So they damaged a T-shirt, a sign. I think they were just kind of hanging out with a fire on our street.”
Despite the scare, Cape Christian Church is continuing with its holiday tradition.
Stroka said, “We have lots of eyes and ears at Christmas Village to provide a safe environment. We also have CCPD help out with some of the details throughout the weekend. So, yeah, we love providing a safe place for families to come and experience Christmas.”
Cape Coral detectives responded and took Wand M into custody. According to the report, M possessed 54 grams of marijuana and W had alcohol and a THC vape in his possession.
W is facing the following charges at this time:
- 3 counts of first-degree arson
- 3 counts of criminal mischief $1,000+
- 1 count of desecration of a flag
- 1 count of possession of a controlled substance
- 1 count of possession of alcohol under 21
As for M, she is facing the following charges:
- 3 counts of first-degree arson
- 3 counts of criminal mischief $1,000+
- 1 count of desecration of a flag
- 1 count of possession of a controlled substance
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Source: gulfcoastnewsnow
