Man arrested for vandalizing Coral Shores High School with vehicle

A 23-year-old Islamorada man was arrested on Monday for damaging multiple gates at Coral Shores High School with a Jeep last month.

Wyatt Ellis Cadwell was charged with property damage and trespassing on school grounds.

The Sheriff’s Office was called to the high school on Sept. 14 whereupon school officials reported more than $5,300 in damage to multiple gates — including the front gate — to the campus grounds. Security footage showed a dark colored Jeep arriving to the property at 11:57 p.m. the evening prior. From that time through 1:07 a.m. the Jeep is seen ramming and otherwise attempting to force its way through multiple gates at the school, including the front gate in which the Jeep eventually smashed through.

The Jeep is seen driving on curbs and eventually the courtyard as well as the area near the front office multiple items during that time frame.

Detectives Deborah Johnson and Ian Barnett investigated further. They used the Jeep’s license plate number to identify Cadwell as the primary suspect. They also found pictures of the same 2001 Jeep Wrangler on Cadwell’s social media accounts. Multiple people identified Cadwell as the driver of the Jeep seen exiting the vehicle at one point and attempting to lift part of a damaged gate.Warrants were issued for Cadwell’s arrest.

Cadwell was booked into jail Monday afternoon.

Cadwell did not provide a motive for the offenses when he was arrested.

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