ETTRICK, Va. -- A Petersburg man is behind bars after troopers said he stole a bulldozer and then damaged a Virginia State University building, a nearby elementary school and church, a police car as well as a number of light poles and trees on the school's campus early Saturday morning.
Troopers were called to help Chesterfield Police with the incident just after 1:50 a.m. Saturday after Devin Thorne stole the bulldozer from a construction area near the Multi-Purpose Center, according to officials with Virginia State Police. Colonial Heights and university police also worked the incident, according to university officials.
"[Thorne] then proceeded to repeatedly strike an unoccupied VSU police vehicle parked in front of the building," officials said. "He also backed into the building itself causing structural damage, as well as; damaging one of the entrances to the Multi-Purpose Building beside the main entrance, several handicap parking signs, and three light poles in front of the building."
At that point, troopers said the 27-year-old drove the heavy equipment across Chesterfield Avenue and damaged property at Ettrick Elementary School as well as a nearby church.
"He then went back to the original location and proceeded to push the unoccupied VSU police vehicle, that he struck previously, across Second Street and into another parking area where he damaged two more light poles as well as several small trees before flipping the VSU police vehicle onto its side," troopers wrote.
Officials said Thorne was taken into custody when he drove the bulldozer onto Boisseau Street.
Thorne is facing a slew of charges, including felony eluding, two counts of felony vandalism, trespassing, obstruction of justice, and grand larceny.
He is being held without bond at the Chesterfield County Jail.
Thorne, who is being held without bond at the Chesterfield County Jail, has no affiliation to the university, police said. However, he has been arrested several times for trespassing and other violations.
VSU officials said Saturday morning that officials are still assessing the damage, which includes a totaled police car, "substantial damage" to a VSU Multipurpose Center entrance, as well as damage to a fire hydrant, light poles, sidewalks and trees.
“We are grateful that no one from our Trojan community or the local community was injured in this incident,” VSU's Chief of Police said. “We are also thankful to the Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, and Virginia State Police Departments for the collaborative effort to arrest the suspect.”
University officials said the heavy equipment is owned by a company that was doing work on campus.
Troopers said their investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
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