On Tuesday, May 26th, 2015 at 10 a.m. a Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy went to a Johnson Utilities jobsite located near Ocotillo Road and Schneph Road in San Tan Valley in reference to a reported criminal damage incident. The Johnson Utilities employee reported that several pieces of their work equipment had been damaged while at the jobsite.
The crew left the jobsite on Friday, May 22nd at 6 p.m. and didn’t return until Tuesday morning. When employees arrived, they observed somebody had punctured a hole in the radiator of a forklift, punctured a hole in the radiator of a dump truck, punctured a hole in the radiator of a water truck and punctured a hole in the oil filter for a Gannon tractor. After the oil drained out the engine on the tractor, it was started which caused the engine to seize. The estimated damage was $20,358.
Investigation Bureau worked with Johnson Utilities to determine any possible leads. After months of work they were able to develop probable cause to arrest Douglas Taylor, age 53 of Florence.
Sheriff Paul Babeu stated, “Douglas Taylor was booked into the Pinal County Jail yesterday afternoon for Criminal Damage, Criminal Damage to a Utility and Criminal Trespassing (all class 4 felonies). Detectives requested a high bond because Taylor is a ‘person of interest’ in other criminal damage cases at the utility company, he has been convicted in the past for Possession of Marijuana for Sale, he is on supervised release from federal custody and he was found to be under the influence of alcohol when arrested which is a violation of his probation. Taylor is also former contractor that used to work for Johnson Utilities and subsequently tried unsuccessfully to sue the company.”