JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has arrested four Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department employees following a paintball incident that targeted several vehicles, including a JSO patrol vehicle.
Police say the incident occurred on December 29 in the LaVilla neighborhood when an officer driving near North Jefferson Street and West Duval Street noticed green paint splatters on his marked patrol vehicle. A civilian driver also reported that their vehicle had been struck in a similar manner.
Officers later found green paint splatters on the roadway, traffic signs, and nearby property believed to have originated from a high-velocity launcher at an elevated location.
Police say, firefighters were seen entering a nearby fire station shortly after the incident. Firefighters later told police the incident may have been part of a “prank war” between fire stations.
Investigators later found 14 red and green paintballs on the roof of the fire station, as well as used paintball shells in the station’s driveway, which appeared to have been recently washed.
Detectives identified four JFRD employees involved and obtained arrest warrants on Thursday. The firefighters were arrested on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges and booked into the Duval County Jail.
The firefighters have been identified as:
- Engineer Landon T. Simmons (30)
- Engineer Wesley P. Parker (32)
- Engineer Tristen C. Harrison (25)
- Firefighter Colby B. Lesage (23)
Sheriff T.K. Waters and JFRD Chief Percy Golden Jr. have addressed the matter.
The four individuals have been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal JFRD investigation.
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