ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Police arrested a man who they say caused thousands of dollars in property damage by throwing electric scooters into Tampa Bay.
Parker Leonard, 20, faces a charge of criminal mischief for the alleged crime, according to Pinellas County jail records.
Just after midnight Sunday, Leonard and his friends were seen throwing the eight scooters into the water around 2nd Avenue Northeast and Bayshore Drive Northeast, the arrest report reads.
The pay-per-use Veo electric scooters are valued at $750 each, according to police, equating to a total value of about $6,000. Leonard admitted to throwing a scooter into the water, they added.
Indication of alcohol influence was marked "yes" on Leonard's arrest report.
"Unfortunately some of this stuff, especially when it comes to the scooters, it doesn't blow in [the water]," said Al Antolik, the Trash Free Waters Manager with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful. He and his crew last month removed 62 electric scooters from the Hillsborough River.
"People are throwing them in the river."
In addition to removing the scooters, they found traffic cones, bicycles, chairs and a wheelchair.