West Plains man charged for vandalizing church
Thu, 04/13/2023 - 4:21pm
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By:
Amanda Mendez, Publisher
Thirteen broken windows and three broken glass doors – this is the damage police say Jared Caston caused to Junction Hill Pentecostal Church in West Plains.
Caston, 35, of West Plains, faces one count of institutional vandalism, a class D felony. According to a probable cause statement filed by Deputy Travis Weaver of the Howell County Sheriff's Office, two witnesses saw Caston breaking out the church windows at about 10:00 p.m. on March 31.
As the deputy investigated the scene, he observed a rock between the pews.
“It appeared as if the rock had been set to break the front glass doors,” reads Dep. Weaver’s statement. The interior of the church was littered with broken glass. Multiple windows and window screens were destroyed.
A witness estimated the cost of the damage to be approximately $15,000.
Authorities located Caston quickly and placed him under arrest but did not question him. He was “extremely intoxicated,” “behaving erratically,” and “aggressive,” say court documents.
Formal charges were issued on April 1. In a bond hearing, Caston’s original $10,000 bond was reduced to $5,000. As of press time, however, he remains in custody at the Howell County Jail.