Celina man charged with vandalism in Mercer County detention facility

CELINA - A Celina man is facing a felony vandalism charge after a criminal complaint was filed in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.

According to court documents, 48 year old Christopher R. Bird was charged April 20 with one count of vandalism, a fifth degree felony. The complaint alleges the offense happened on or about April 8 at the Mercer County Detention Facility.

An affidavit filed with the complaint states Sgt. Patrick Forsthoefel was asked to investigate a reported vandalism incident inside the jail after staff learned a phone in Dorm 7 was not working properly.

According to the affidavit, jail staff contacted Cidnet, the phone service provider, which determined Bird had intentionally damaged the phone on April 8 at about 9:17 p.m.

The affidavit also states surveillance video showed Bird using the phone earlier that evening and, after finishing his call, repeatedly striking the wall unit with the receiver before hanging it up and walking away.

Court documents say the phone is intended for use by current and future inmates in that dorm and will need to be replaced. A replacement value was not listed in the filing.