911 Helps WSP Trooper Catch I-90 Graffiti Taggers “Red Handed”

You probably have noticed the new "art" on display driving westbound I-90 past the Argonne Road exit.

Washington State Patrol Has Message to Spokane Graffiti Artists

I was born and raised in Spokane and the Spokane Valley in the 1970s and 1980s and can safely say graffiti was a problem even back then. Areas of I-90 that cut through the center of Spokane have always had issues with graffiti even if the sections where it has been the worst have shifted over the years. Recently, new graffiti was tagged in another popular spot along I-90 on the shoulder of the westbound lanes just past the Argonne Road exit. This time, the "artists" did not get to finish before being contacted by police because of the watchful eyes of an anonymous 911 caller.

911 Call Leads to Graffiti Taggers Caught "Red-Handed"

The artists were caught by police who were found with multiple cans of spray paint and later confessed to being the creators of the graffiti. The Washington State Patrol Trooper let the aspiring artists know that even though the crime they were charged with was not violent and was usually a misdemeanor, it could still be elevated to a felony. The key is the dollar amount of damages caused by the malicious mischief.

"-Malicious mischief 1st degree - When damages exceed $5,000 (class B felony)

-Malicious mischief 2nd degree - When damages exceed $750 (class C felony)

-Malicious mischief 3rd - When damages are up to $750 (gross misdemeanor)"

The Washington State Patrol says they are still waiting for an estimate of the damages from the Washington State Department of Transportation. When they get the exact estimate, they will assign the appropriate charges to the Michelangelos caught "red-handed" on the side of I-90. Something tells me that the cost of all that art will most likely be on the plus side of $750 to clean up completely, but then again I am not an expert.