The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on Monday arrested three teens allegedly involved in the vandalism of a Venus de Milo statue at European Village in July.
The three are all from Palm Coast. They are Tyrone Walker, 19, of 55 Fischer Lane, Joseph Orza, 18, of 12 Conley Court, and Sequawne Solomon, 18, of 42 Louisberg Lane. Two other people were caught on surveillance cameras with the group of three the night of the incident. It appears that the sheriff’s office does have positive identification of the remaining two suspects, but their names have been redacted from arrest reports, suggesting that they may be underage.
Mark Pierro of European Village had reported to deputies last month that on July 9, the small statue reproducing the famed Venus de Milo, and valued at $3,500, had been beheaded and broken around midnight that night, and that the head of the statue had disappeared.
The three who were arrested were identified on July 31, the same day that the sheriff’s office distributed an image of the surveillance still to media and to deputies in the field. The same day, deputies approached Solomon while he was walking down a street in the area of Old Kings Road and Matanzas Woods Parkway, at the northeast end of Palm Coast. He was stopped, his arrest report states, “because he matched the description in the attempt to identify bulletin.”
After he was read his Miranda rights, Solomon acknowledged that he was one of the individuals in the surveillance video. He provided a written statement and was released. In Walker’s arrest report, Solomon and the girl involved in the incident both alleged to deputies that Walker had been the one who pushed the statue. Walker, in a brief interview, denied having taken part in pushing the statue.
In Orza’s arrest report, however, Solomon and an unidentified suspect both put the blame on Orza, and that Orza had taken the head of the statue. Deputies contacted Orza on Monday, but after he was read his rights, he invoked his right to have a lawyer present before he would say anything, so questioning did not proceed.
Deputies contacted Walker also on Monday morning. After hearing his rights, he acknowledged being on the video surveillance, but, he said, not of pushing over the statue that night.
An earlier version of this story stated that he had acknowledged knocking over the statue, because his arrest report states: “Tyrone stated he was at the European Village on the morning of July 9, 2014, but did push over the statue.” Walker said the report contains a misprint–that the crucial word not is missing, and that the report should have read that he did not push over the statue. In that report, Walker places the blame for the statue being knocked over on Solomon, not Orza, and that he (Walker), Orza and a third unidentified suspect told Solomon not to do it.
Walker, according to the report, declined writing a statement. He subsequently said in the interview that “I wanted to write a statement but the opportunity wasn’t given to me.”
On Monday, all three adults were arrested and booked at the Flagler County jail with a criminal mischief charge each. Bond was set at $1,000 for Orza and Solomon, which they posted, so they were released. Tuesday morning, the jail log listed Walker as still incarcerated, with no bond set.
NortonSmitty says
And her arms? Did they find out what the bastards did with her arms?
Let's see now says
There’s a lot of repairs that need to be completed over there in European Village, such as some of the bricks need to be replaced/repaired. Painting, the buildings, washing windows. Ask the vendors inside what they need too. Inside AND out really need to be power washed. They want to work their time off… THAT’s what they need to do! Perhaps then, they’ll think twice before they go damaging others property. It’s time to make kids work!
Larry Bell says
I would be interested to know if these kids will be made to pay for the damage they’ve done in addition to any other criminal charges they may incur. It seems in such cases the insurance companies pay and the criminals get community service etc. and don’t have to pay any money. I say make them pay and if they can’t make the parents pay. I hope FlaglerLive will follow up on this story.
Mack says
LOL – well-played, Norton.
PC LOVER says
Good job again FCSO!
Mae says
Was that necessary ?
THE VOICE OF REASON says
Wonder what they would have cut off if it had been Michaelangelo’s David?
confidential says
I totally agree that these kids need to pay the destruction for fun, caused! Themselves or their parents for lack of supervision. My son being a child along with a group of kids broke a window while playing baseball in an apartment surrounding park restricted area and we had to pay the window owner for the replacement no questions asked.
These kids should do community work as an additional punishment…and work like suggested above cleaning and repairing or landscaping the European Village…have all these punks picking up litter in the city streets.
Heading North says
Agreed – make them pick up trash, wash cars, whatever it takes!
Also agreed on a job well done by the Deputies involved!!
But—– rewrite the very first sentence in your story!! The Flagler County Sheriff’s Department arrested these offenders. Not the Flagler County Sheriff! I doubt Mr. Manfre was the one making the arrest!
I doubt he would know how to do the paperwork!!
Otherwise a well done article FlaglerLive!
Alex says
You know some people make mistakes, it doesn’t make them punks or low life’s.
As long as they learn from their mistakes and make something positive out of it
That’s all that really matters, I know all three and none of them are bad people.
Just kids that made a mistake,
wolley segap says
You blame the lack of supervision yet tell about your own child breaking a window while with a group of kids. Yes the intent differed but don’t blame the parents for their kid hanging out with friends. These kids are old enough. I agree they need to pay and hopefully along with what the legal system imposes the parents impose their own punishment as well.
Larry says
Alex, I agree kids do make mistakes, we all did. I hope you agree that one of lifes lessons is that there are consequences to your actions. This seems like a perfect opportunity for that life lesson. They should have to pay for the damages and do some community service. I don’t think they should have this on their record, this time. Unless this is just another crime in a long list of crimes they’ve committed. Almost everyone deserves a second chance. Maybe not a 3rd or a 4th.
steveg says
Great job cops……keep up the great work…..clean up this town!
confidential says
My hat of to the Sheriff for a job well done.
Clarifying my kid, then 40 years ago, was not intentionally vandalizing anything they went to play baseball in the wrong place in the neighborhood park not intended for it and “accidentally” broke a window…they were not hanging around intentionally pushing Venus de Milo sculptures to smash them for fun…
anonymous says
Why does everyone on here refer to them as kids? They’re old enough to be out of the house and on their own. Making their own decisions and paying for said decisions.
Angie says
I am a parent of one of the kids that got arrested& feel that u should know the whole facts be four you start making comment & no the parents should not pay for anything. If the child did the crime then they should pay. As a parent we are not responsible for what our kids do in the streets.I know u raised my child right if he didn’t obey that’s not on me& everyone that’s passing judgment I hope ur kids are saints
Angie says
Thank you @ Alex I am a parent if one if the kids. I feel people should get the whole facts before they start passing judgment. I know I raised my child right. I’m not responses for what my child do in the streets if he did not obey my rasing how is that my fault & If a child did the crime he should pay not the parents. So everyone making comments about parents I hope your kids are saint & u know there every move
Angie says
I agree with u too@Larry yes there are consequences for your action that is a positive comment thanks.In I pray they learn from there mistake but some do and some don’t.
NortonSmitty says
Calm down, this is not a sign of the coming Apocalypse, this is kids being kids. They like to break stuff. My friends and I did the same kind of stupid things in the late ’60s and worse. Way worse. I’m not proud of it now, but I remember it did seem fun and exiting at the time. Them hormones are a bitch.
NortonSmitty says
Oh yes. Yes it was.
Seminole Pride says
I hope these young adults have to pay, and given community service. Suggest they be required to clean all the statues and fountains at European Village.
THE VOICE OF REASON says
The difference, Yellow, is that confidential’s kid broke a window by accident with a baseball. Few kids haven’t had such an accident happen while growing up.
These kids caused their damage on purpose, with intent to destroy.
someone says
Why are you guys blaming the parents? These are adults. Not children.
Msbcarter says
Great idea!
Privacy says
I know these kids did something wrong, but is it really necessary to publish where they live? I feel like it’s way too much info made public for the wrong reason.
Yeah, they got arrested. Good, because they broke the law. But now there could be other unruly kids and weird people coming to their homes to further harass them and their families. That’s not cool at all.
I just feel like they got the punishment they deserved. Arrest and a soiled record. Publishing their addresses, while it is public info already (phone books and the like), just seems totally unnecessary, regardless of the crime committed.
Maybe I’m just looking too much into it.
Outsider says
You can find this information on the sheriff’s website…..right next to their mugshots.
Let's see now says
Privacy – I’m with you on publishing the addresses in the article; that’s too much. And yes, you can find this next to their mug shots, but one would have to take the time to go looking. And yes, there is a part of the parent you would have to hold accountable. to the full extent? No. But, still, everyone is going to wonder, and it’s natural to think, what kind of parent is there in “that” household… sorry Angie, it’s something you are going to have to deal with and perhaps hold your child accountable for the public frustration it is now causing you.
I also agree if this is their FIRST offense, then hold the young adults accountable as well as repair, replace, clean, update, whatever it will take to hopefully get it through their heads not to do this again. If Angie’s kid is a good kid, maybe hard work, will work. From what the initial article says, the female walked away when the destruction began. There may be a chance to get the point across.
And yes, I did things when I was a kid too. However, I did not destroy another’s property. and if my parents were still alive, I would be able to tell them and be ok with that. guess I’m a “sissy.”