Both Spencer Gonzales and Brent Carroll of Pace are facing criminal mischief charges after a sheriff’s deputy with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, recently witnessed both men tampering with his watercraft − a SRCSO jet ski − which is now out of commission at the moment.
According to a press release from the SRCSO, a deputy with the sheriff's office marine unit was on patrol in the Cold Water Creek area on Monday. The deputy decided to park the jet ski on the sand in order investigate a suspected group of underage individuals drinking on a shoal.
While on foot investigating the underage drinking, the deputy observed the two suspects near his watercraft tampering with the vehicle’s fuel cap.
The deputy discovered evidence of water and sand being placed into the fuel system of the watercraft. When the deputy ran back to his jet ski, both suspects fled into the water where one was taken into custody by the deputy and the other was apprehended by an off duty corrections officer with assistance of a concerned citizen.
According to the press release, the watercraft received approximately $1000 worth of damage. Both suspects were taken into custody.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Pace residents face charges in tampering with sheriffÂ’s watercraft