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When announcing the charges filed against a 44-year-old homeless man accused of cutting down a tree in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said the damages would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, prosecutors cut at least eight trees on April 14-19 over five days, taking taxpayers about $347,000 in damage, repairs and replacements.
By April 20th, much of the damage had made its way to social media as some Angelenos had posted photos on Reddit and Instagram of all the trees that fell downtown.
The trees cut down by chainsaws were cut in pieces at locations such as 1st Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, Hope Street, Olympic Boulevard, Figuero Avenue, Broadway, Cesar Chavez Avenue, and Grand Avenue in front of Wells Fargo Centre and Grand Avenue and Fifth Avenue.
A man suspected of cutting down a tree in downtown LA with a chainsaw has been taken into custody. (LAPD) A man suspected of cutting down a tree in downtown LA with a chainsaw has been taken into custody. (LAPD) Vandal cut down a tree in downtown Los Angeles over Easter holiday weekend. (Media Moussavy) Vandals cut down a tree in downtown LA over Easter holiday weekend. (Media Moussavy) Vandals cut down a tree in downtown LA over Easter holiday weekend. (Media Moussavy) Vandals cut down a tree in downtown LA over Easter holiday weekend. (Media Moussavy) Vandals cut down a tree in downtown LA over Easter holiday weekend. (Media Moussavy) Vandals cut down a tree in downtown LA over Easter holiday weekend. (Media Moussavy)
“It’s really beyond understanding that someone does this,” LA Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement released late in the afternoon on Easter Sunday.
Two days later, Groft was taken into custody by LA police. LA police said the chainsaw was in his possession at the time of his arrest, along with other evidence of vandalism.
According to the DA’s office, the 44-year-old, who was previously convicted of assaulting a fatal weapon, robbery and vandalism, is charged with eight counts of felony vandalism in connection with this latest case.
“It only took several minutes to destroy it that it took years to grow,” district attorney Nathan Hochmann said. “Trees not only provide shade and comfort, they nourish those who live and work in our community. The selfish and meaningless acts of stripping away important parts of our ecosystem are very intrusive and my office appeals to the fullest to such criminal acts to the fullest extent.”
If convicted of being indicted, Groft was able to impose a maximum sentence of six years and six months in a state prison.
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