Police arrested a 24-year-old man who they say damaged the 100 Prince building and surrounding area when he drove down some stairs and slammed into several concrete structures while trying to leave a parking deck.
Security footage of the late-night bumper car escapades went viral earlier this week. It shows an SUV leaving the 100 Prince parking deck early last Friday morning, driving down a flight of stairs to a patio, then repeatedly backing into the building before ramming through a concrete planter.
According to Classic City News, police reviewed the video, then followed a trail of transmission fluid to a Pulaski Heights residence, where the homeowners told police their son had possession of the vehicle the night before.
The son, Giovanni Ricci Merendino, initially told police the SUV had been damaged while he was buying beer at a convenience store, then said he didn’t know how the damage occurred. Police said that after he was arrested, Merendino told them he “thought it was a dream” and asked if they had the incident on tape.
Merendino was charged with criminal damage to property and driving on a suspended license. He was released from jail on a $7,500 bond.
The post Athens Man Arrested for Driving Down Stairs, Damaging Building appeared first on Flagpole.
