High Springs men arrested for vandalizing watermelon fields

By Carrie A. Mizell

Two High Springs men were being held in the Gilchrist County Jail after being arrested and charged with vandalizing a local farmer’s watermelon fields.
Christopher Lee Newman, 34, of 7299 NE 33rd Way of High Springs has been charged with Felony Criminal Mischief, Trespass While Armed and Petit Theft.
William Quinn Douglas, 31, also of 7299 NE 33rd Way in High Springs was arrested and charged with Felony Criminal Mischief and Petit Theft.

William Douglas	Christopher Newman

According to a press release issued by the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, the men were arrested after allegedly vandalizing two separate watermelon fields in northeast Gilchrist County. Bell farmer Josh Moore had watermelons planted in the fields when the vandalism occurred earlier this month.
While investigating an illegal hunting crime, officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission informed the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office that they had information on the vandalism of the watermelon fields.
Gilchrist County Sheriff’s investigator Cliffton Dasher then began working with Fish and Wildlife officers on the case.
Newman and Douglas were subsequently arrested after allegedly damaging a fertilizer tank, a port-a-potty and stealing four gates securing the fields.
According to Sheriff Daniel Slaughter, once the two men got to the fields, gates were damaged and taken, and, at one location, a rifle was used to shoot holes in a fertilizer tank. At the other field, a port-a-potty was damaged by gunshots.
The gates have been recovered.
As of Monday morning, Newman and Douglas had posted bail and been released from the Gilchrist County Jail.