According to officials, three teenagers admitted to driving all-terrain vehicles and a dirt bike on a farmer’s property in Sumter County, South Carolina, causing significant damage to his crops and killing more than 200 turkeys.
Last week, officers responded to a call about a civil dispute in eastern Sumter County. The landowner told officers he asked the teens to leave before discovering the doors to a turkey house were open and finding ATV and motorcycle tracks inside.
“It just so happened that the farm owner knew where these young people lived, and he showed the responding deputy and one of the investigators where they lived,” said Captain Kevin Lindsey of the sheriff’s office in an interview with News 19 WLTX.
The sheriff’s office noted that the landowner reported that the juveniles drove the vehicles both on the property and in the turkey pen. According to media reports, the turkeys were “scared to death” when they tried to flee the commotion and were trampled in the process. Officials also noted damage to the fields allegedly caused by the juveniles.
After their arrest, authorities said the teens admitted to driving the vehicles on the property and in the turkey house. Charges were filed against them.
According to the sheriff’s department, the turkeys were probably worth about $5,000.
According to the South Carolina Criminal Code, the offense in question may fall under “malicious damage to property,” which involves intentionally damaging another person’s property. In this case, the crime could be classified as either a felony or a misdemeanor, depending on the extent of the damage and the value of the property involved.
While specific charges against the teens have not yet been made public, the sheriff’s office is continuing its investigation to determine the full extent of the damage and appropriate legal consequences. The case has been forwarded to family court, where the teens will be tried for their actions. The names of the suspects have not been released.
