WILTON MANORS, FLA. (WSVN) - A 49-year-old suspected vandal was arrested in Wilton Manors after he drove into a local statue.
Officials said Wilton Manors Police officers responded to Justin Flippen Park on Sunday, just before 11:30 a.m., in reference to public property damage.
According to police, witnesses said that it appeared someone had driven into the “Thunderbunny” rabbit statue intentionally.
Officers were able to quickly find the driver, who was later identified as Derek Modrok, is believed to be responsible.
Surveillance video showed Modrok in a red vehicle ramming into the sculpture that has been in that location for less than two weeks. He is seen hitting the bunny and then gets out of the car to pick up a piece of the front end that fell off.
Modrok then puts that piece in in his car out leaves the scene.
After further investigation, the criminal admitted to being responsible for another vandalism. Modrok admitted he was also responsible for vandalizing a popsicle statue at Rachel Richardson Park on May 18.
Modrok told police he vandalized the sculpture because he believed that the former mayor of Wilton Manors was responsible for, “The birds that we hear.”
Residents in the area were shocked to see several art installations across the city damaged.
“I hope they press all kinds of charges against him because the statue is on loan, and it took six months to build it in Italy, and its on loan to Wilton Manors for us to enjoy, and it’s just tragic something like that happened,” Adam Ostrover said.
Detectives said, “These incidents do not appear to be hate-motivated or biased in any way.”
“From what I saw on social media this morning, it was done intentionally,” Ostrover said. “They say it wasn’t a hate crime, but it’s hard for me to say.”
Residents are now happy that Modrok was arrested and charged. They are left wondering what was his motive to destroying the statues.
“There are people who don’t like art, and they assume all art is connected to a liberal thinking, and you know, the arts is sort of a turn-off to a lot of people,” Julie Suneson said. “And if you put that in a place like Wilton Manors, it’s known for its diversity.”
Modrok was charged with three counts of criminal mischief and bonded out over the weekend.
The artist for the sculpture is in New York, and will have to inspect the sculpture further to see if there is any more damage.
The sculpture is made out of glass mosaic and has more than 2,000 pieces of glass.
The exact damage to the sculpture is still unknown.
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