Tire tracks are visible in the grassy "quad" area Sunday, March 8, 2015, after vandals damaged athletic and facility fields at Signal Mountain Middle High School in Signal Mountain, Tenn.Photo Gallery
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One Signal Mountain Middle/High School student and several former students have been arrested and charged with felony vandalism to the school's band and football practice fields.
Police said the fields were damaged Feb. 26 when trucks were driven over them after a recent, 8-inch snowfall.
"Just poor judgment," Signal Mountain Police Department Chief Mike Williams said. "Getting out, trying to have a good time and, in the meantime, [they] just basically destroyed a good portion of school property."
John R. Wilson, 18, a Signal Mountain High School student, and four others -- Lillian A. McGinnis, 19, McCallie A. Padgett, 19, David C. Sitton, 19, and Richard A. Mundis, 22 -- were arrested. All five were released on bond.
"There is a tremendous amount of damage," Williams said, although he was unable to estimate the cost of repairing the fields. It will be at least late summer before the damage is repaired, officials said. A number of fields at the school were rutted by truck drivers doing doughnuts on them, according to the police report.
Damage was reported to the high school football practice field, the band practice field and a fire access lane that divides the high school and middle school wings, according to the report. The band practice field is also used by some of the mountain's club lacrosse teams.
Photos shot Sunday showed deep ruts in the ground of the commons area between the middle and high schools, the band field and an area in front of the school.
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com.
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