A Hot Springs teenager who caused over $2,700 in damages when he vandalized the Exchange Street Parking Plaza elevator earlier this year pleaded guilty to a felony charge Monday in Garland County Circuit Court.
Michael Andrew McKinney, 18, who lists a Golf Links Road address, was set to stand trial on Dec. 11 but opted to plead guilty to first-degree criminal mischief over $1,000, punishable by up to six years in prison, and was sentenced to three years' probation, fined $1,500 and ordered to pay $440 in court costs and $2,718 in restitution to the city of Hot Springs.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on March 12, a city employee reported he had discovered the control panel to the elevator in the parking deck had been damaged to the point the elevator was inoperable until it could be repaired.
The cost to repair the damages was $2,718.50 and the employee provided security video from the parking deck to Hot Springs police.
Detective Phillip DeFoor reviewed the video and noted a white male, known to police from a previous incident as McKinney, could be seen boarding the elevator on March 9. While the elevator was in transit, McKinney kicked the control panel from the inside.
McKinney then left the elevator, but returned a few minutes later. Upon his return, the control panel was no longer functioning. A warrant for McKinney's arrest was issued on March 21 and he turned himself in the next day.
McKinney was released on $3,500 bond the day of his arrest and pleaded not guilty to the charge on June 3.
McKinney and two other suspects, Nathan Daryl Lunceford, 23, and Nicolas Anthony Moix, 18, both of Hot Springs, were also charged with a misdemeanor count of criminal mischief under $1,000 for damages they caused to the door of the parking deck elevator on a separate occasion.
All three pleaded guilty on April 2 in Garland County District Court and were each sentenced to one year in jail, all suspended, six months' probation, and fined $1,505. They were also ordered to pay $962.11 in restitution.
Local on 11/06/2019