Disabled vet could face jail time for painting picnic table

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Jail time for painting a picnic table.

That is what 53-year old Woodbridge man Mickey Triplett could face after his court hearing on August 24.

Triplett is a disabled Marine veteran and 22-year retired Washington D.C. corrections officer, who was living in the Potomac Ridge Apartments off of Woodmark Drive when the incident took place.

“My granddaughter was coming down from North Carolina, and I thought I’d be it would be nice of me to paint the deteriorating table that they had in the back of my apartment. Now I should’ve asked permission, but I figured since it was rotten, and falling apart, I would do something nice. I had previously been raking leaves, and trying to make sure snakes weren’t out there,” said Triplett.

According to Prince William County General District Court documents, Triplett has been charged with destruction of property, for painting the table white.

Triplett offered to paint the table back to its original color, or have it power washed, but he stated that management refused and demanded he purchase a new table. Management did not tell him the cost of replacing the table, but due to his fixed-income, he would unlikely be able to pay for it.

After the incident, Triplett was also told that he had to leave his apartment.

Triplett stated that prior to the incident he had signed a document extending his lease for another six months, but that management told him that he had not signed such a document and that he had to leave by September 1.

Volunteers of America, a faith-based non-profit worked with Triplett to get him into Meridian Bay Apartments on Fox Lair Drive in Woodbridge.

Virginia Code § 18.2-137 states that destruction of property is a class 1 misdemeanor – meaning that he could have to pay a $2,500 fine or serve up to a year in jail.

More on the charge from the Virginia Code:

B. If any person intentionally causes such injury, he shall be guilty of (i) a Class 1 misdemeanor if the value of or damage to the property, memorial or monument is less than $1,000 or (ii) a Class 6 felony if the value of or damage to the property, memorial or monument is $1,000 or more. The amount of loss caused by the destruction, defacing, damage or removal of such property, memorial or monument may be established by proof of the fair market cost of repair or fair market replacement value. Upon conviction, the court may order that the defendant pay restitution.

A Prince William police officer came to Triplett’s home on July 8, but did not arrest him, and instead issued him a summons.

“A police officer came and said, ‘Hey, it looks alright to me’ and wouldn’t arrest me,” Triplett said.

When Potomac Local spoke with Triplett, he was scared about the potential outcome of his hearing.

“I’m a retired, disabled veteran. I’m diabetic. I recently had a baby toe removed…I don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Triplett.

Potomac Ridge Apartments, which is managed by Klingbeil Capital Management, did not return requests for comment.