Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 6, 1995                   TAG: 9507060049
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SARAH HUNTLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SON, ABOUT THAT MUD ON THE TIRES ...

A newly licensed 16-year-old from Southwest Roanoke County admitted that he drove his parents' car through Lynn and Carter Fitzpatrick's yard at Kenwick Trail and Penquin Drive, Police Chief John Cease said.

The Fitzpatricks' lawn has been a frequent target for thrill-seeking vandals who cut across it in their vehicles, leaving tracks and ditches in their wake. Their frustrations boiled over this weekend, however, after they were hit twice in one day.

The second act of vandalism, which occurred around 11 p.m. Sunday, was witnessed by a neighbor who gave police a description of the car: a maroon Volvo wagon with a soccer bumper sticker on the rear.

Cease, who spent several hours of his July 4 holiday following up on the tip, credited Joanne Steele, who lives across the street from the Fitzpatricks, for coming forward with the description.

"In my experience, you rarely solve these types of vandalism cases unless someone sees something," he said. "And in this case, it was a good description. There are very few maroon Volvo wagons in the area."

Cease lives in Penn Forest and has witnessed the many times the Fitzpatricks' lawn has been vandalized. He said he was frustrated to learn that they had been victimized again.

"Quite frankly, it made me mad," Cease said. "These people are trying to keep a nice, neat lawn. They've gotten hit over and over again.

"These crimes do not always get high priority when we're busy. We were busy Tuesday, but I decided these people deserved to have their problem made a priority."

The teen-ager, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, has not been implicated in any of the other acts of vandalism, including the drive-through that occurred at the Fitzpatricks' earlier Sunday.

"I hope this is the beginning to an end," Lynn Fitzpatrick said. "But I'm not going to make him a scapegoat. He's the one who got caught, but he's not the only one."

The boy's father phoned Lynn Fitzpatrick on Tuesday to apologize for his son's actions, and Fitzgerald said she has no doubt that the parents will take action.

"His father is just devastated," Fitzpatrick said. "It was good to see there are parents who are concerned.

"I think it was probably a one-shot deal for this kid. I don't think I'll have to come down on him with bricks. I know he's already in a lot of hot water."

Cease said police would bring the case to the attention of Roanoke County's Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The youth could face misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and destruction of property/vandalism.