Little league park gets major damage from crook in stolen car - WSMV Channel 4

Little league park gets major damage from crook in stolen car

It's a crime that'll only hurt kids coming out to play ball. Someone has crashed a stolen car through two gates at the Madison Little League Ball Park, ruining fields and a dugout in the process.

It's just the latest crime against a park for young ball players, that's costing it thousands of dollars.

"It's a hard question," said coach Justin Johnson. "Why would you want to hurt the kids? You're taking away from children, and I don't think anybody would feel very big if they're taking away from a child."

For more than eight years, Johnson's been donating countless hours to coaching kids at the park.

"It keeps kids off of the streets," he said. "To me, it's a reward to them."

Saturday afternoon, the usual sounds of baseballs, bats, and leather mitts were interrupted by a wrecker carrying away a car abandoned after a serious vandalism.

According to police, in the overnight hours, someone stole a car from the nearby Car Concepts, drove it to the park, and began doing donuts in the field.

"It looks like they just wanted to do damage," said Johnson. "There's no point in running into anything, but they ran into the dugout, went all the way down the outfield fencing, and then they drove out into this field. They drove around in it and ran through that fence as well."

Johnson said it'll be at least two weeks before kids can play on these fields again. He estimates it'll be $5,000 to repair the fence alone.

In recent weeks, Johnson said someone has also set fire to a lawn tractor, shattered the glass of a refrigerator, stolen three sets of bleachers, and taken copper from air conditioning units. Johnson said they don't know if these vandalism cases are related.

Despite these discouraging crimes, Johnson said he's trying to keep the games going as a good influence to keep kids on track and not turn out like the vandals who caused the damages.

"We teach our kids to play the game, have fun, and when you don't have a place to do that it's hard on you," said Johnson.

Car Concepts' workers added this is the third time this month someone has stolen a car off their lot, wrecked it, and left it. 

Police have impounded the car and are holding it for their auto theft unit with the hopes they'll be able to get some fingerprints on the vehicle.

If you'd like to help the Madison Little League Ball Park, call Patrick Mockmore at 615-429-5176.