An Imperial man was recently released from the Jefferson County Jail on his own recognizance after being arrested on a charge of property damage. He allegedly punctured an outdoor air conditioning unit and then poured liquid into it, according to court documents.
Donald Lee Brunner, 63, was released from jail on Jan. 22. He was arrested the day before, jail records show.
He has been charged with first-degree property damage, a class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
According to a probable-cause statement filed by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Brunner was seen in surveillance video allegedly using a metal object to puncture the outer coil layer of an air conditioning unit. He later returned to the unit and appeared to pour a blue liquid from an orange jug on the unit.
The deputy wrote there was an approximately 1-inch puncture mark, and the liquid smelled like laundry detergent. The alleged victim told the deputy the cost to repair the damage was $8,106.28, the report said.