Aaron Chase Clayton, 21, of 413 Janet Road in Stoneville, has been charged with one count of felony vandalism and one count of reckless handling of a firearm, a misdemeanor, according to a release from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
It seems Mr. Clayton decided to shoot the water tower with a high powered rifle causing a one in hole where between 500,000 and 700,000 gallons leaked out. Damages were estimated to be about $11,000.
Investigators interviewed Clayton after learning he had told friends he used a sniper rifle to shoot the water tower, court records show. This was after his first attempt, using a smaller weapon, had failed to penetrate the 3/8-inch-thick plated steel tank, according to a search warrant on file in the Henry County Circuit Court Clerk’s office.
- He claims he was just trying to be funny and admitted to friends he pulled the trigger.
- Drones were used to inspect the damage.
- A water-safe epoxy had to be used on both the inside and outside of the tank.
- The tank had to be tested and disinfected after the repair.
- He’s being held in Rockingham County Va. on a $15,000 secured bond awaiting extradition to Henry County NC.
Work is underway to patch the hole in the Commonwealth Crossing water tower in @henrycountyva after the tower was shot over the weekend. (Video courtesy of @wagonjd). @wsls pic.twitter.com/pwnGjLimoR
— Colter Anstaett (@ColterAnstaett) January 6, 2020
