A Petersburg man was arrested after police said he stole a bulldozer and then drove it through Virginia State University’s campus and the surrounding neighborhood, causing substantial damage early Saturday morning.
Devin Thorne, 27, faces multiple felony charges, including eluding, vandalism, trespassing, obstructions of justice and grand larceny, after state police said he stole a bulldozer from a construction site near the university’s multipurpose center and drove it through the surrounding neighborhood.
State police said troopers were called just before 2 a.m. to assist Chesterfield County police. Thorne allegedly struck an unoccupied university police vehicle and backed into the multipurpose center, causing damage to one of the entrances, several handicap parking signs and three light poles.
Then the bulldozer reportedly left campus going across Chesterfield Avenue and caused damage to Ettrick Elementary School and a nearby church.
Police said Thorne then returned to campus and proceeded to push the unoccupied police vehicle he had previously damaged across Second Street and into another parking area. There was more damage to light poles and several small trees before the police vehicle was flipped onto its side.
According to a VSU statement, the university is still assessing the damage, and no one was injured in the incident, according to the statement
According to the statement, the suspect caused damage to a campus police vehicle, an entrance at the multipurpose center, light poles, sidewalks, a fire hydrant and more.
The statement also said Thorne is not affiliated with the university, though “he has been arrested numerous times for trespassing and other on-campus violations.”
Thorne is being held without bond at the Chesterfield County Jail, and the incident remains under investigation.