The Oxford Police Department arrested Christian Clark and Alexander Stryker for alleged felony malicious mischief –– specifically in connection with vandalizing the soccer fields of mTrade Park –– on Wednesday.
On Feb. 19, OPD tweeted pictures of the soccer fields, showing the damage from suspects driving on all five of the fields. The next day, the department tweeted aerial footage obtained from mTrade Park that showed how extensive the damage was.
Clark and Stryker appeared before a Lafayette County Justice Court Judge on Feb. 24, and each of them was given a $5,000 bond.
After meeting with park officials and receiving estimates of the damages, the cost to repair the damage done to the fields is $50,000. It is unclear whether — if convicted — Clark and Stryker will have to pay for the repairs.
After OPD publicized the damage last week, Oxford citizens began pooling money to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest of the vandals. The initial reward to find the culprit was $500, but other community members added funds, including UM head soccer coach Matthew Mott.
“Anyone that will damage the best soccer complex in the state (actually one of the best in the southeast!) deserves to be punished,” Mott tweeted, adding another $500 to the reward.
The total $2,550 reward that Oxford citizens offered through OPD will be handled by the local CrimeStoppers board.
