SAN DIEGO — A man is accused of stealing a piece of heavy machinery from a California construction site and causing damage as he drove it through a San Diego neighborhood, authorities said.
According to San Diego County Sheriff’s Office online booking records, Liam Algardis Quigley, 28, was arrested on July 26. He was charged with vehicle theft and two counts of vandalism, online records show.
The backhoe was stolen from a construction site near University Avenue and Utah Street around 5 a.m. PT
That was where Guy Guadagni, general manager of The Mission restaurant, was sipping on a cup of coffee an hour before the business was to open.
“I hear loud bangs and booms and glass,” Guadagni told KGTV. “I see him, bucket dragging heading east on University (Avenue), knocking stuff down while he’s going.”
Video shared with KNSD showed that the bucket caused sparks and knocked down traffic sign poles and planter boxes.
A photo from the scene showed police tape surrounding the excavator as it sat outside a damaged North Park Observatory sign, causing $25,000 in damage, the television station reported.
“He had no shirt on. Could be homeless, I’m not sure. Just joy-riding. Having a good time knocking stuff over,” Guadagni told KNSD. “I have, but I’ve never seen anything like that.
“That was bizarre.”
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