By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
An investigation into an unrelated case led to the arrest of a Salina man in connection to multiple damaged vehicles and a missing mailbox.
On Wednesday, an officer was at 1007 W. North Street attempting to contact Michael Sampson, 54, of Salina, concerning a trespassing investigation, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.
While there, the officer was contacted by Scott Echer who said he believed that Sampson's white Dodge Ram flatbed pickup had been involved in damaging vehicles nearby at The Car Shoppe Service Center, 424 N. Broadway Boulevard, on Tuesday night. The officer observed that the Ram had front bumper damage and blue and gray paint transfer.
The officer went with Echer to The Car Shoppe Service Center, where a blue 2000 Chevrolet S10 pickup and a blue 2000 Chevrolet Silverado both were damaged. Surveillance video showed the Ram drive through the parking lot at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday and drive behind the building at TCS Auto, 432 N. Broadway. When the Ram reappears on the video, it can be seen striking the S10 pickup and then the Silverado, which was dragged approximately 20 feet by the Ram, Forrester said.
Damage to the S10 and the Silverado was estimated at $3,000 each.
The officer then made contact with a representative of TCS Auto, where a gray 2013 Ford Focus that was parked behind the building had been hit. Forrester said the car had been along the same path that the Ram took when it went behind the building in the video.
Damage to the Focus also was estimated at $3,000.
The officer then was contacted by the owner of Randy's Auto, Randy Otto, who told the officer that there had been a disturbance between himself and Sampson. He told the officer that at the time of the disturbance, he believed there would be some sort of retaliation, Forrester said. Surveillance video from Randy's Auto, 1015 W. North Street, showed the Ram drive through the grass and strike a Chevrolet Tahoe. It then left through the nearby Log Cabin Motel parking lot.
Damage to the Tahoe also was estimated at $3,000.
Earlier on Tuesday, another officer responded to the 1900 block of Valley View Drive, where a mailbox was missing. The four-inch by four-inch post and attached mailbox had been pulled from the ground, Forrester said. Loss was estimated at $25.
Home security video showed the Ram pull up next to the mailbox. Someone got out of the pickup and went around to the other side of the pickup for several minutes. When the person left, the mailbox and post were missing.
Forrester said Sampson was located at his residence at 1007 W. North Street, and arrested on the following requested charges that include Four counts of felony criminal damage to property, Criminal trespass and Theft.