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A homeless Florida man described as a career criminal went joyriding on a piece of stolen construction equipment and caused more than $10,000 in damages on Saturday, authorities said.
Deputies located Randy Lee Wealand, 56, operating a $60,000 JLG Lull around 8 a.m. on the sidewalk of Ocean Shore Boulevard in Beverly Beach, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said.
Investigators determined that Wealand had stolen the heavy machinery from a construction site and drove it 2.5 miles to Beverly Beach. Along the way, deputies said he ran over two fire hydrants, a Charter Communications fiber node, resident mailboxes and broke several sections of public sidewalk.
"This career criminal decided to go on a joyride with a large piece of construction equipment", Sheriff Rick Staly said. "Wealand would have caused more damage if he were 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."
While this was Wealand’s first arrest in Flagler County, deputies said the transient man has an extensive criminal history, with three felony convictions in Pennsylvania and eight other felony convictions elsewhere in Florida.
Authorities estimated that Wealand caused more than $10,000 in damages during his "joyride." (Flagler County Sheriff's Office)
The convictions include criminal mischief, burglary, public drunkenness, grand theft auto, boating under the influence, battery on a law enforcement officer, impersonating a law enforcement officer, battery on person over 65, exploitation of elderly less than 20,000 dollars and weapons charges among others.
In connection with this latest incident, Wealand was charged with grand theft, theft from a construction site, felony criminal mischief and trespass on a construction site.
Randy Lee Wealand, 56, was described as a transient man with a long criminal history. (Flagler County Sheriff's Office)
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He was being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Detention Facility on a $12,500 bond.
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