Blue Vandals confess; mad city closed Lighthouse

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

From left, Norman Cox, Chris McCormick and Chris Haycox.

Saying they went on a rampage because they felt the city was responsible for closing their Christian retreat, three teens arrested for a rash of vandalism over the past week are now facing felony charges.

The three, touted as the Blue Vandals due to the blue spray paint they used to inflict thousands of dollars worth of damage to property around the city, were arrested Thursday afternoon. Two of the suspects, Chris Haycox, 18, and Norman Cox, 18, are charged with felony vandalism while the third member, Christopher Sean McCormick, 17, is charged in a juvenile petition.

The teens were taken in for questioning Wednesday, one day after extensive damage was done to the Rotary-sponsored overlook on the Barren Fork Greenway. The graffiti included satanic symbols, the numbers 666, and profanities directed at society and police.

“We thought since they shut the Lighthouse down, then we would terrorize the town,” McCormick said. “We thought we were sending a message.”

McCormick was referring to the Lighthouse Ministry, which did not receive public funding for its work with the youth, forcing its closure, at least temporarily.

The teens said they all frequented Lighthouse Ministry.

“We were protesting that it got closed and we didn’t think that was right,” Haycox said, seconded by Cox.

Both Haycox and Cox were crestfallen when Lt. John Morgan revealed their bonds to be $20,000 for the felony offense.

“Man, we’re staying in jail then,” Cox said of the bond amount.

It was Lt. Morgan who, along with McMinnville Police Investigator Barry Powers, broke the case Wednesday afternoon. Powers said he was working the crime scene on the greenway when he saw the three suspicious-acting teens who took evasive measures when they saw him. Powers then called Morgan who intercepted the boys on the other end of the greenway. The teens all confessed to the crime during subsequent questioning.

“I’m sorry for terrorizing my hometown,” McCormick said. “We were frustrated and we just went about it wrong.”

His partners in crime also expressed their apologies, saying in hindsight the vandalism was wrong. All three pledged their destructive days are now behind them.

The 18-year-olds, along with facing one to two years in prison, could also have to pay thousands of dollars in restitution, not only for the greenway, but also for buildings and cars spray painted during their destructive streak. McCormick could face confinement until his 19th birthday in juvenile custody if prosecutors do not attempt to try him as an adult since he is close to turning 18.