A Florida man is accused of taking a huge piece of construction equipment on a "joy ride" and leaving a "dangerous path of destruction," according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to 3771 N. Ocean Shore Blvd in Beverly Beach on August 6 on reports of someone driving a machine on a sidewalk. They reportedly found 56-year-old Randy Lee Wealand operating a $60,000 JLG Lull, which was allegedly stolen from a construction site.
Authorities claim Wealand drove 2.5 miles along A1A to Beverly Beach, destroying parts of the sidewalk and driving over mailboxes, two fire hydrants, and a communication company's fiber node. Officials believe he caused over $10,000 worth of damage.
Bodycam footage shows a deputy confronting Wealand, who was found sitting in the construction equipment. When asked where he got the Lull, the -year-old says his boss rented the machine for work. The deputy then asks Wealand to call his boss on his phone, the suspect says, "it's not active."
Wealand was detained while trying to place his broken bicycle on the Lull. He was booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Detention Facility for multiple charges, including grand theft, theft from a construction site, felony criminal mischief, and trespass on a construction site. His bond was set at $12,500.
FCSO says an extensive criminal history in Florida and Pennsylvania. He's been charged dozens of times and wracked up 11 felony convictions.
“This career criminal decided to go on a joy ride with a large piece of construction equipment," Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Wealand would have caused more damage if he was not stopped and apprehended by deputies. Another win for ‘see something, say something, so a special thank you to the citizens who called us and helped prevent this dirtbag from continuing his dangerous path of destruction.”