Inglis woman arrested, charged with vandalism at Yankeetown Bird Creek Park
Photos courtesy of LCSO
July 14, 2023
Yankeetown and Inglis, Florida - While conducting routine patrol in Yankeetown, Florida on July 4, 2023, deputies found that the pavillion at Yankeetown Bird Creek Park, located at 8000 Highway 40 West Yankeetown, FL, where Highwy 40 terminates at the Gulf of Mexico, was covered in graffiti.
The vandal had used spray paint and permanent marker to scroll the name “James Edwards” on most surfaces of the pavilion and the picnic tables under the pavillion, causing estimated damages of more than $3,000 to the property that is maintained by the Levy County Parks and Recreation Department.
The 'artist's' work gained attention on local social media pages, and the word around town was that 39 year-old Kristine Hess, of Inglis, Florida, was responsible for the graffiti at the park and also on sidewalks and roadways in Inglis. Deputies were aware that Hess was the girlfriend of James Edwards, who recently passed away, and many of the messages stated that “he” was missed.
Deputies gathered evidence of Hess’s participation in the crime. Hess herself confessed via Facebook to the graffiti painted on a sidewalk and roadway. During an interview, Hess denied responsibility for the pavillion and picnic table grafitti. However, sufficient evidence had been collected by deputies, and she was arrested on July 8, 2023, charged with three counts of criminal mischief with damage to property, and transported to the Levy County Detention Bureau. Hess was additionally charged with violation of her probation.
Since publication of the graffiti on social media, Levy County Parks and Recreation has removed the graffiti (see photos; on left is Ms. Hess).