A Texas County Jail inmate is charged with a pair of felonies after allegedly damaging an overhead sprinkler and causing a flood on March 11.
Tyler M. Anderson, 27, of 625 Baden Ave. in Mountain Grove, is charged with first-degree tampering with service of utility or institution (a class D felony) and damage to jail property (a class E felony).
A Texas County Sheriff’s Department deputy reported that Anderson arrived at the jail at about 4:10 p.m. on a writ from the Wright County Jail. About five hours later, fire alarms were activated throughout the Justice Center.
An investigation led to the conclusion that Anderson had broken a fire sprinkler head in his cell. Water flooded several areas in the jail facility and then made its way to the sheriff’s department side of the Justice Center where it flooded a storage room, hallway, one restroom and the electronic control room for the audio and video recording interview rooms, according to a report.
At about 11:45 p.m., Anderson was questioned and stated that he had looked up in his cell and thought the sprinkler was different than some he had observed in other areas. He said a voice in his head told him it was a listening device or camera, according to a report.
A deputy reported that five officers, three jailers and two inmate trustees worked for two hours to clean up the water.
The repair cost for the sprinkler head was reportedly $215 (including parts and labor). The extent of water damage to floors, items in storage, recording electronics and other jail property was undetermined at the time of the report.
Anderson’s bond is set at $75,000.