An Odessa police officer arrested a 60-year-old man around noon Sunday after a local woman called 911 to say she saw a vandal at her house and the officer reported catching the man in the act.
According to an Odessa Police Department report, the alleged victim was out of town Sunday, but saw someone damaging a window at her house in the 6200 block of Riders Road and her Chevrolet Explorer van.
When the officer arrived, he saw a man later identified as Ernest Abalos swinging an object and breaking several windows, the report stated. Abalos was “visibly upset” and while he was swinging away stated he was getting even with the homeowners for ruining his life, the officer wrote.
The officer discovered six windows and frames had been damaged on the front of the house, a bag of grass seed had been poured into an air conditioning unit, fall decor had been damaged and the side view mirror on the van had been broken off, the report stated.
All told, the damage was estimated at more than $2,500, according to the report.
Abalos was arrested on suspicion of criminal mischief, a state jail felony punishable by six months to two years in prison.
Abalos remained in the Ector County jail Monday evening on a $4,000 surety bond.
Jail records show Abalos was arrested in early August on a criminal trespass charge and was released on his own recognizance. Ector County court records show he was accused of entering the Ten Four Lounge after being told he wasn’t allowed to. He’s scheduled to be arraigned in that case Oct. 5.
