ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A flooded alley led to the arrest of an Odessa man late last week after investigators said he allegedly caused the flooding while stealing. Kristopher Williams, 41, has been charged with Theft of Property and Criminal Mischief, both state jail felonies.
According to an affidavit, on January 17, officers with the Odessa Police Department responded to a home on Versailles Circle after a homeowner called 911 and said a suspicious man in the alley was causing trouble. At the scene, investigators met with a man who said he’d entered the alley to contain a leak and saw a man in a teal shirt and tan pants who he suspected of taking the brass flow valve from his waterline, causing water to flood the alley.
A second homeowner came outside and said she was also experiencing a leak and that the brass flow valve to her water sprinkler had been taken, leading to “major” flooding. On the heels of the second complaint, five other homeowners reported similar flooding and missing valves.
Camera footage obtained from the neighborhood showed a man in an older model green Dodge truck exiting his vehicle and approaching a sprinkler system, followed by a gush of water. Officers said they recognized the truck and knew Williams to be the owner and a traffic stop was initiated a short time later in the area of Locust Avenue and Castle Road.
Investigators said Williams was wearing clothes matching the suspect’s description and was “muddy and damp”. Williams allegedly admitted to stealing the brass valves because he needed gas money and needed to fix the muffler on his truck. All the valves were located in a dumpster where Williams said he threw them when he began to suspect that he was being followed by police.
Williams was arrested and taken to the Ector County Law Enforcement Center where he remained as of Monday afternoon. His bond has been set at a combined $12,000.