By Tim Eberly
A pair of 15-year-old boys were issued summonses Wednesday on charges of criminal mischief in connection with the extensive vandalism of a youth baseball team's bus in November.
The charges, which have been referred to Hill County Juvenile Court, are felonies. The damage to the Havre Youth Baseball Association bus, which was reported in mid-December, is more than $4,000.
An anonymous tip to Crimestoppers on Jan. 10 led Havre police to the two juveniles. Police officers conducted separate interviews with the suspects last Friday and Tuesday. Shortly after the second interview, the summonses were issued.
"We're pleased they caught somebody," Comets head coach Bob Evans said. "Hopefully, it'll stop the vandalism that's been going on up there in the last couple years."
While in Juvenile Court, the cases will be reviewed by Bob Peake, the chief juvenile probation officer. Peake can deal with the case in Juvenile Court, or he could send the case to the Hill County Attorney's Office for prosecution.
The vandalism of the 15-passenger bus, which was the sole means of transportation for the Havre North Stars and Havre Comets teams, was reported to the police on Dec. 12.
A man driving by the American Legion Baseball Park in Havre noticed the bus had a broken window, and reported his observation to Evans.
Three broken windows, one cracked window and a broken taillight were discovered, along with several rocks inside the bus. The bus was parked inside the fenced lot near an equipment shed in the left field corner.
Several years ago, an unknown individual or group of individuals broke into the park and broke the sprinkler heads off the watering system.
