Supporters of a vandalized political billboard restored it to its prior message before vandals defaced it over the Aug. 14 weekend. (Photos by Brady Bauman)
Updated: Wednesday, 11:44 a.m.
A Winfield teen was arrested Monday in connection to an on-going investigation of a political billboard that was vandalized recently, according to Wednesday’s Cowley County Sheriff’s Office activity report.
Garrett Bogle, 19, was arrested for criminal damage to property to a “MAGA” billboard that supports President Donald Trump. Authorities were called to the 25,000 block of U.S. 77 Highway for a report of criminal damage to property on Aug. 16.
The billboard, located just north of Ark City, was covered with blue paint and “resist” and “BLM” — the acronym for “Black Lives Matter” — were written over the blue in yellow paint.
The next day, supporters of the billboard restored its original message/intent.
Bogle is not listed in the department’s inmate roster.
In the state of Kansas, a criminal damage to property conviction is a Class B Nonperson Misdemeanor if damage is at or below $1,000; a Severity Level 9 Nonperson Felony if damage is $1,000 to $25,000; or a Severity Level 7 Nonperson Felony if damage exceeds $25,000.
Cowley County Sheriff David Falletti told KSOK-NewsCow Bogle is facing a Class B Misdemeanor.
From Tuesday:
An arrest has been made in an on-going investigation of a political billboard that was vandalized recently, according to a news release from the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday.
The name of the individual or a description of the individual has not been released.
On Aug. 16, authorities were called to the 25,000 block of U.S. 77 Highway for a report of criminal damage to property to a “MAGA” billboard that supports President Donald Trump.
The billboard was covered with blue paint and “resist” and “BLM” — the acronym for “Black Lives Matter” — were written over the blue in yellow paint.
The next day, supporters of the billboard restored its original message/intent.
“There were several tips and leads generated in this case,” the sheriff’s office stated in its news release Tuesday. “During the course of the investigation an arrest has been made and this is an on-going investigation. Further details will be released at a later time.”
From Aug. 17:
A prominent political billboard was vandalized over the weekend just north of Ark City on U.S. 77.
Cowley County Sheriff David Falletti told KSOK-NewsCow Monday afternoon criminal damage to the billboard was reported to his office at 11:39 a.m. Sunday. Falletti said there are no suspects at this time.
Tim Hays of Ark City, who owns the billboard, said Monday afternoon that space for the message had long been leased to a local veteran who passed away a few weeks ago.
Col. George M. Lind, an Ark City High School graduate who paid for the “MAGA” message on the billboard, passed away in Ark City on July 20, according to his obituary.
In a career that spanned over 30 years, Lind served in various Army Reserve Command levels and served six years on the Army General Staff and in the Office, Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon.
Lind was then assigned as Director, Resource Management of the Army Reserve Personnel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, where he served throughout the Gulf War Desert Shield/Desert Storm operations.
Vandals defaced a “Make America Great Again” billboard north of Ark City that stood untouched since 2016 with blue paint, “RESIST” and “BLM” — the acronym for “Black Lives Matter” over the Aug. 14 weekend.
“It’s too bad somebody has to express their opinion by vandalizing something out there,” Hays said.
Since the vandalism was discovered Sunday morning, the sign had been redesigned as of Monday morning in effort to restore its original message.
State Sen. Larry Alley, a Republican who represents the 32nd district in the Kansas Senate, which includes Ark City, Winfield, Wellington and as far west as Medicine Lodge, visited the vandalized sign Sunday and met with supporters.
“To those that defaced the sign, that action is not Free Speech but outright criminal behavior,” Alley wrote.
“I don’t if they’re going to go back and do a little more rework on it or not,” Hays said. “But I did give some people permission go ahead and to do what’s necessary to clean it up. Obviously, the sign is going to have to be redone.
“Colonel Lind Ret. was a good friend, so the message will go back up, as far as the length of time right now, I don’t know.”
