Auburn Police filed an additional felony charge of criminal mischief first degree against Jochen Wiest Monday, Sept. 26 as a result of damages he caused by setting fire to one of the new Toomer’s Oak trees.
Jochen Wiest, who was taken into custody early Sunday morning on an unrelated charge of public intoxication, was arrested yesterday on a warrant charging him with "desecration of a venerable object."
Auburn Police, working in conjunction with Auburn University and officials within the school’s horticultural department, determined that damage to the oak tree exceeds $2,500, according to an Auburn Police Division release. Alabama law requires that individuals who inflict property damages that exceed that amount be charged with criminal mischief first degree.
An arrest warrant charging Wiest with criminal mischief first degree was executed on him while he was being held in the Lee County Jail on prior charges of public intoxication and desecration of a venerated object. As a result of Wiest being charged with a felony offense, the prior charges will be transferred from the jurisdiction of Auburn Municipal Court to the Circuit Court of Lee County.
An additional bond of $3000 was placed on Wiest for criminal mischief first degree and he remains incarcerated in the Lee County Jail on a total bond amount of $4,500.
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