Hollister
– Eddie Reyes isn’t quite sure how he’ll get to his first
classes at Gavilan College in two weeks.
Hollister – Eddie Reyes isn’t quite sure how he’ll get to his first classes at Gavilan College in two weeks.
That’s because the 18-year-old’s pickup truck – a 2004 GMC Sierra that was a high school graduation gift – was damaged over the weekend by vandals, who left a baseball sized hole in the windshield, a dent on the driver-side door and scratches up the driver-side window onto the roof of the cab.
Reyes’ truck was one of seven vehicles damaged by vandals late Friday or early Saturday, according to the Hollister Police Department. Owners filed reports with police on Tuesday following the holiday weekend.
On Wednesday, Reyes said he wouldn’t be able to drive his truck until the windshield is repaired. He said he is not sure how he will get to Gilroy for his classes if his car is not fixed.
“Ask for rides or ask one of the grandparents to take me,” Reyes said.
He is hoping a call from his insurance company today will get the ball rolling to fix the $2,500 in estimated damage.
But the incident has made Reyes nervous.
“You could get it fixed and it could happen again,” he said.
Heather and Jordan Quezada had their black 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche vandalized over the weekend.
The truck was parked in their driveway. Its back window had a hole from a rock, the force of which was strong enough to damage the windshield as well, Heather Quezada said. The rear passenger-side door was dented, the black truck had been egged and the gutter on her house was also dented from a rock, she said. Quezada believes whoever did it must have used a slingshot.
The vandalism incidents occurred on Powell Street, Nora Drive, Sunset Drive, Line Street, D Street, Las Palmas Drive and Cienega Road.
Victims have found their vehicles with slashed tires, windows broken from large smooth rocks and even eggs splattered.
While no suspects have been identified, the incidents are similar, police said.
Rosie Betanio, a spokeswoman for the Hollister Police Department, said it was uncertain whether the crimes were connected.
“There’s a possibility,” Betanio said. “But since we have no suspect information on any of the incidents, we are not sure.”
Although some of the victims believe the vandalism to be the work of juveniles, Betanio said that’s not necessarily the case.
“You’d be surprised,” Betanio said. “But normally it is a juvenile type of incident.”
Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller said residents should call police if they witness vandalism in progress so that officers can respond.
“Now more than ever it’s going to be important for neighbors to look out for each other,” Miller said.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or mv*********@fr***********.com.
