What started as a late-night drive through St. George neighborhoods ended with two 18-year-olds in handcuffs and a community rattled, after police say a group of four teenagers hurled rocks through the windows of five cars. The vehicles, parked in the Bloomington and Little Valley areas, mostly belonged to students and recent alumni of Desert Hills High School, leaving families convinced the vandalism was no random act.
Police: How Investigators Tracked The Suspects
St. George police say officers responded to five separate reports on Feb. 4 after large rocks were launched through front or rear windshields, shattering glass and, in one case, even damaging a garage door. Investigators estimate the total repair bill at about $13,688. Detectives pulled neighborhood security footage and turned to license plate readers, eventually tracing a dark Dodge Charger to the group and identifying four teens who allegedly took turns throwing the rocks, according to FOX 13.
Who Was Charged And What They Are Accused Of
Police arrested Ashlee Martin and Ashlin Keaton on Feb. 24. Both are 18 and face five felony counts of property damage, along with misdemeanor counts of threat of violence and public intoxication. Investigators also identified two 18-year-old males, Eros Steele and Giovanni Plumley, who face multiple felony counts tied to the same string of incidents. Steele is additionally accused of a second-degree felony for theft of a firearm or an operable motor vehicle. All four — Martin, Keaton, Steele and Plumley — are scheduled for initial court appearances on March 4, according to KJZZ.
Victims, Parents And Social Posts
Several of the damaged cars belonged to current Desert Hills High students or recent graduates. One of them, senior Kanyon Nordfelt, said he discovered the mess as he was heading out for class. “I woke up, was going to my car to go to school, I came out of my door, and the windows were broken,” he recalled. After he shared photos of the damage on social media, his family began hearing from other victims dealing with the same problem.
Kanyon’s mother, Kelly Nordfelt, told reporters she has connected with other parents and worries that the flying rocks could easily have seriously injured someone. The outlet also reported that one of the arrested teens posted about the case on a public TikTok account, including a caption reading, “Being on the news is lit,” according to KJZZ.
Investigation Status And Next Steps
Police say detectives closed in on the suspects after tracing the Dodge Charger and interviewing the people inside. According to investigators, Steele admitted to driving the vehicle while the others acknowledged being along for the ride. All four were booked into the Washington County Jail and remain under investigation as prosecutors sort through the case and prepare for the initial hearings. The case is still active, and police are asking anyone with additional information to contact the department, according to FOX 13.
