Leesburg man charged in Key West Southernmost Point buoy blaze

Katie Sartoris, Daily Commercial
·1 min read
Workers restore Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy, which was burned on New Year's Day. Two suspects - one from Leesburg - are set to turn themselves in, according to the Key West Police Department.
Workers restore Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy, which was burned on New Year's Day. Two suspects - one from Leesburg - are set to turn themselves in, according to the Key West Police Department.

A Leesburg man and a Texan have been charged with criminal mischief after a Christmas tree they allegedly burned damaged the iconic Southernmost Point buoy in Key West.

David B. Perkins Jr., 21, of Leesburg, and Skylar Rae Jacobson, 21, of Henrietta, Texas, were arrested in connection with the New Year's Day incident.

In a Facebook post Thursday, the Key West Police Department said both had made arrangements to turn themselves in.

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Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy was burned on New Year's Day. Two suspects - one from Leesburg - are set to turn themselves in, according to the Key West Police Department.
Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy was burned on New Year's Day. Two suspects - one from Leesburg - are set to turn themselves in, according to the Key West Police Department.

At around 3:30 a.m. Jan. 1, the Key West Police and Fire Departments responded to a fire at the buoy, according to the KWPD post.

"They arrived to find the charred embers of the Christmas tree," the post says. "The fire left a burned scar on the Southernmost Buoy that was about three feet wide and seven feet tall."

KWPD noted that the suspects were caught on multiple cameras.

Restoration of Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy, which was burned on New Year's Day, is underway. Two suspects - one from Leesburg - are set to turn themselves in, according to the Key West Police Department.
Restoration of Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy, which was burned on New Year's Day, is underway. Two suspects - one from Leesburg - are set to turn themselves in, according to the Key West Police Department.

"Footage, some of which quickly spread on social media, shows one man dragging the tree to the location. They hid when a car drove by, then took several pictures on their phones of each other in front of the tree and buoy," the post says. "Then, while one man checked the surroundings, the other lit the tree, and a fire raged. One man took one last photo of the blazing tree before the two ran out of camera range."

Damage to the buoy was estimated to be more than $5,000.

Workers restore Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy, which was burned on New Year's Day. Two suspects - one from Leesburg - are set to turn themselves in, according to the Key West Police Department.
Workers restore Key West's Southernmost Point Buoy, which was burned on New Year's Day. Two suspects - one from Leesburg - are set to turn themselves in, according to the Key West Police Department.

Key West city government workers quickly began restoring the landmark, a popular spot for tourists.

Work is expected to be completed by Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Leesburg man, Texan charged in connection with Key West buoy vandalism