GARFIELD - A man is under arrest on suspicion of shooting three holes in a Benton and Washington County water tower, causing an expensive leak.
Now, residents in three communities are worried their water may be turned off for three days for repairs.
On Monday, the sky was holding back the rain over Garfield, Arkansas, but anyone standing near the city's water tower on Blueberry Lane is going to get wet.
That's because Benton County Sheriff's Officials say someone shot three holes in the tower with a high powered rifle, causing a leak that's costing the city about $50 a day.
Now, investigators say that suspect is 56-year-old Raymond Maresh, a Garfield resident living just down the road from the tower.
Last Thursday, sheriff's officials say Maresh admitted to shooting guns on a friend's nearby range, but denied shooting at the tower.
But early Monday, investigators say Maresh turned himself in and brought the rifle they say he admitted using to shoot three holes in the tower.
While Maresh awaits his trial date behind bars, the leaky tower is still spewing water, and officials say the $15,000 cost to permanently repair the leak means Garfield's tower, providing water for three nearby communities, must be turned off at some point for three days.
Garfield's Buss Stop Café employee Cortney Roller voices her concern about the shut-off as she alternates between washing dishes and taking money from a line of customers. "I can't go without a shower, can't flush the toilet; it's just really unbearable. I know I can't go without a shower, brush teeth, use the toilet."
As Roller swirls a huge "tower" of vanilla ice cream, something the Buss Stop Café is famous for, she says it's not only homes a water shut-off will hurt. "We won't be able to do the floors at night, clean the bathrooms, anything like that. That's a lot of money that we're losing, and times are hard right now. We don't need to go two or three days without having any business."
But other residents like Sam Cray say city water is a relatively new phenomenon in their area. She says days without water may not hurt everyone. "We all had well water before they put in city lines a few years back. We usually use our well water. It just tastes better, ha!"
But those without well water say they dread the day they turn on a faucet and nothing comes out. As Roller watches dishwater fill the café sink, she says, "you start thinking about how much you use it. Every time you wash your hands, you're thinking, this may be off, and what are we going to do?"
The water tower leak may cost $50 a day, but sheriff's officials say the crime for causing this kind of damage could cost a person up to ten years of their life in prison.
Deputies arrested Maresh on two felony counts, for impairing the operation of a vital public facility, and for criminal mischief in the first degree: both are a class C felony.
Investigators say they expect Maresh will soon go before a judge in the Benton County Circuit Court.
Now, residents in three communities are worried their water may be turned off for three days for repairs.
On Monday, the sky was holding back the rain over Garfield, Arkansas, but anyone standing near the city's water tower on Blueberry Lane is going to get wet.
That's because Benton County Sheriff's Officials say someone shot three holes in the tower with a high powered rifle, causing a leak that's costing the city about $50 a day.
Now, investigators say that suspect is 56-year-old Raymond Maresh, a Garfield resident living just down the road from the tower.
Last Thursday, sheriff's officials say Maresh admitted to shooting guns on a friend's nearby range, but denied shooting at the tower.
But early Monday, investigators say Maresh turned himself in and brought the rifle they say he admitted using to shoot three holes in the tower.
While Maresh awaits his trial date behind bars, the leaky tower is still spewing water, and officials say the $15,000 cost to permanently repair the leak means Garfield's tower, providing water for three nearby communities, must be turned off at some point for three days.
Garfield's Buss Stop Café employee Cortney Roller voices her concern about the shut-off as she alternates between washing dishes and taking money from a line of customers. "I can't go without a shower, can't flush the toilet; it's just really unbearable. I know I can't go without a shower, brush teeth, use the toilet."
As Roller swirls a huge "tower" of vanilla ice cream, something the Buss Stop Café is famous for, she says it's not only homes a water shut-off will hurt. "We won't be able to do the floors at night, clean the bathrooms, anything like that. That's a lot of money that we're losing, and times are hard right now. We don't need to go two or three days without having any business."
But other residents like Sam Cray say city water is a relatively new phenomenon in their area. She says days without water may not hurt everyone. "We all had well water before they put in city lines a few years back. We usually use our well water. It just tastes better, ha!"
But those without well water say they dread the day they turn on a faucet and nothing comes out. As Roller watches dishwater fill the café sink, she says, "you start thinking about how much you use it. Every time you wash your hands, you're thinking, this may be off, and what are we going to do?"
The water tower leak may cost $50 a day, but sheriff's officials say the crime for causing this kind of damage could cost a person up to ten years of their life in prison.
Deputies arrested Maresh on two felony counts, for impairing the operation of a vital public facility, and for criminal mischief in the first degree: both are a class C felony.
Investigators say they expect Maresh will soon go before a judge in the Benton County Circuit Court.
