Tourist Accused Of Keying The Alamo Arrested
By Annie Potasznik |CBSDFW.COM|
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SAN ANTONIO (CBSDFW.COM) - A tourist accused of vandalizing the Alamo with his car keys now faces felony charges.
"In Texas we take our history seriously and consider the Alamo to be sacred ground. Desecration of any part of these hallowed grounds, especially the walls of the Alamo Chapel, will not be tolerated and we will support prosecution to the furthest extent of the law," said Chief of the Alamo Rangers, Mark Adkins.
A tour guide caught Julio Perez carving his name onto a wall inside the Monks' Burial Room. Perez took off when asked to stop, but officers later caught up to him, according to the police report.
Even though the damage inside the Alamo isn't severe, it could cost $250,000 to repair.
The area was cordoned off while historic preservation and restoration experts evaluate the damage and assess appropriate repairs.
Sadly, this latest act of vandalism isn't the first time someone has defaced the historic mission.
An El Paso man was sentenced to 8 months in state prison for urinating on the "Shrine of Texas Liberty" in April 2012. The 23-year-old was also ordered to pay $4000 in restitution by District Judge Ray Olivarri.
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