Kristoffer Welch

Maine State Police arrested a 19-year-old man Thursday after he allegedly damaged a field of crops earlier in the week.

According to a press release from state police Troop C, which covers Somerset County, Kristoffer Welch of New Sharon was arrested at noon Thursday and charged with aggravated criminal mischief, a class C felony.

On Monday, police heard about a video on Facebook of a driver in a silver Ford truck spinning its wheels and tearing up a cornfield somewhere in either Franklin or Somerset County. Police warned farmers in those areas to check on their fields that day in case of damage. Shortly after 6:30 p.m. that day, a farmer off Sandy River Road in Starks called police saying his fields had been significantly damaged. Police went to the field and confirmed it was the same one in the video and estimated that the damage was worth around $5,000.

Working with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, police were able to identify suspects. After conducting a series of interviews, police arrested Welch and he was booked into the Somerset County Jail. In their press release, the sheriff’s office states they will not tolerate such actions toward the farming community.

Damage to the cornfield in Starks was estimated at $5,000.

Calls to the Somerset County Jail’s intake department were not answered Thursday afternoon, so it was not clear if Welch had posted bail or what his bail would have been.

Colin Ellis — 861-9253

cellis@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @colinoellis