Fourth golf course vandal sentenced

LIMA - A 16-year-old was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution Thursday for his role in a vandalism spree at a local golf course in July in which vandals tipped over and set golf carts on fire.

Taylor Pinks, of Ada, received suspended prison and jail sentences. He was placed on probation and ordered to pay $2,396 restitution. He also must write a letter of apology to the Dugan family, who owns Hawthorne Hills Golf Club where Pinks and four other teenagers hit July 1.

The group tipped over 74 golf carts and set a fire that destroyed 14 carts. Damage has been placed near $100,000 for the prank that several participants said stemmed from being "bored and looking for something to do."

Judge Glenn Derryberry, of Allen County Juvenile Court, also ordered Pinks to perform 80 hours community service.

"It seems to me there would be some amount of justice if you had to work that at the golf course but I understand where the Dugans are coming from and I wouldn't want you there, either," Derryberry said.

Pinks' parents told the court they would pay half the restitution this week and the rest when his father received his tax return.

Pinks apologized to the owners of the golf course, Gene and Linda Dugan, who were in the courtroom.

"I had no intention to let it go that far. It was very stupid for me to even think of doing that to someone else's property," he said.

Gene Dugan, whose family opened the golf course in 1963, told Pinks he hopes he understands the seriousness of the matter and the difference between a crime and a prank.

The crime nearly closed his business, he said.

Golf outings are the primary moneymaker and not having carts or having money to buy new carts meant the club couldn't service outings or other customers, he said.

The teens were caught after sheriff investigators followed footsteps they left behind in the morning dew to a campsite away from the golf course where they had stayed the night.

All but one of the cases against those involved was handled at juvenile court. One teen, Josue Martinez, 18, had his case handled as an adult because he was the only adult by age when the crime occurred. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay restitution.

Two other teens, Ryan Arnett, 17, of Salyersville, Ky. and Aaron Sheldon, 18, of Alger, both received similar sentences as Pinks at hearings earlier this week. The teen who threw the match to start the fire, Robert Cody Collins, 18, of Ada, is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday.

All teens had spent about two weeks in juvenile detention before the judge released them on house arrest. None of the teens had anything serious on their records before this crime and some didn't have a record.