Teen to pay restitution in Mount Washington vandalism
Apr. 20—EAU CLAIRE — One of two teens accused of causing thousands of dollars in damage to the former Mount Washington Residence must pay at least $4,000 in restitution.
Carter C. Cockeram, 17, 1415 13th St. SE, Menomonie, pleaded guilty recently in Eau Claire County Court to an amended misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property.
A misdemeanor count of criminal trespass was dismissed but considered at sentencing.
As part of a two-year deferred agreement with prosecutors, Cockeram must pay a $250 fine, commit no new crimes, perform 80 hours of community service, and have no contact with the Mount Washington Residence.
Cockeram must also pay $8,002 in restitution joint and severally with his co-defendant, Daysun G. Sturkey, 18, also of Menomonie.
If Cockeram successfully completes the agreement, the charge will be dismissed.
Sturkey was previously sentenced in the case.
According to the criminal complaint:
Eau Claire police were sent to the former Mount Washington Residence April 23, 2020, after a caller reported four people got out of a vehicle and entered the building through a window.
The caller suspected the four people were trespassing.
An officer arrived and found the vehicle in question. The officer also found a board that had been covering a window now thrown to the side.
The officer heard glass breaking inside the residence and called for more officers.
Officers then made announcements and sounded their squad sirens.
Each of the four people came out one at a time.
A 16-year-old male told police he and the three other males came to Eau Claire from Menomonie to explore the abandoned building.
The boy said the plywood was already off the window when the group arrived.
The boy said the group saw there had already been damage done to the building and decided to do more. He said they broke about 10 glass items.
A 15-year-old boy told police the group was there "busting up stuff like old furniture and glass."
Cockeram admitted to police that he did break some glass.
Sturkey denied breaking or damaging anything.
A police officer walked through the building with the caretaker.
The caretaker said he was in the building earlier that day, so he had fresh knowledge of previously inflicted damage.
The caretaker said there were 27 newly broken windows, five damaged fire extinguisher box doors, two kicked in doors, two damaged toilets and two broken cabinets.
Some tile was also torn off a wall.
The caretaker said much of this damage was done to items that have a historic designation, which means the cost to replace them is heightened.
The fresh damage by the four teens is estimated at $7,275.
