Criminal damage to property charges are pending against a suspect who drove onto the football field at Iola’s Riverside Park sometime late Friday or early Saturday.
The damage occurred sometime after the Iola High Mustangs participated in their annual Blue-Gold scrimmage Friday evening.
The perpetrator drove onto the field and circled around, leaving tire marks, particularly near the midfield area.
The damage was reported Saturday morning; a suspect was identified not long after, Iola Police Chief Jared Warner said.
The football field was outfitted with new turf this summer as part of a citywide soil remediation project.
The damage left noticeable tracks, plus one small area where the tires cut through the grass, exposing the dirt and mud underneath.
Iola High athletic director Matt Baumwart said the field would be inspected today, to determine the extent of the damage, and whether the damaged field would allow games any time soon.
The extent of the damage also will determine if the pending charges against the suspect — whose name has not been released — are a misdemeanor or felony, Warner said.
THE FOOTBALL field was replaced entirely over the summer, aided by a $35,000 private donation, after crews noted they were going to have to remove a portion of the field as part of an ongoing citywide lead clean-up effort.
Along with the $35,000 gift, USD 257 officials were aided by Iolan Donna Houser in raising another $5,000 needed to complete the project.
The replacement work was finished in July.
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