A 21-year-old man, Ivan Barzul, has been arrested for allegedly vandalizing Pride crosswalks in Bellevue, Washington, by performing burnouts, a move that police say caused significant damage to the public artwork.
The arrest follows a series of incidents targeting the same intersection, leading to charges of malicious mischief and reckless driving.
Barzul was apprehended at his home in Renton around 1:58 pm on Tuesday. He faces three counts of first-degree malicious mischief and three counts of reckless driving.
UPDATE: Bellevue Police arrest suspect connected to summer’s vandalizing incidents on City’s LGBTQ+ Pride art piece, praise public for assistance https://t.co/RiWoA1AUX9
— Bellevue, WA Police (@BvuePD) November 14, 2024
If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison due to the severity of the charges.
Bellevue police have linked Barzul to three separate incidents of vandalism at the intersection of NE 1st Street and 102nd Avenue NE, which took place on July 14, September 7, and September 15.
According to traffic camera footage and police reports, Barzul’s actions involved performing burnouts that defaced the Pride-themed crosswalk, causing thousands of dollars in damages.
The first reported incident occurred on July 14 at 10:12 pm. Traffic cameras captured a suspect, later identified as Barzul, doing a 720-degree burnout over the Pride crosswalk before speeding away from the scene.
Bellevue’s Transportation Department assessed the damage from this incident at approximately $3,200.
A second act of vandalism was recorded on September 7 at around 4:27 pm. During this incident, the suspect performed burnouts over the same Pride crosswalk, even as pedestrians were using the intersection.
This dangerous stunt caused about $5,000 in damage, prompting concern from local authorities about the public safety risks posed by the reckless driving.
The third and final incident tied to Barzul occurred on September 15 at 7:57 pm. Once again, traffic cameras documented a suspect doing a 720-degree burnout at the intersection, resulting in an estimated $5,337 in damages.
This pattern of repeated vandalism drew the attention of both the local community and law enforcement.
The breakthrough in the investigation came when local residents, concerned about the repeated damage to the Pride crosswalk, reached out to the Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound’s anonymous tip line.
Tips provided by community members led investigators to Barzul, allowing them to connect him to the series of incidents. Bellevue Police Chief Wendell Shirley praised the community’s involvement, stating, “This arrest is a testament to the teamwork between residents and law enforcement. When people see something and say something, it helps us hold individuals accountable.”
Barzul was taken into custody and booked into the King County Jail. It was noted that while his actions caused significant property damage, there is no evidence to suggest a hate crime was involved.
Notably, this case marks one of the first instances since the King County Jail resumed booking misdemeanor offenders after a four-year hiatus, underscoring the increased efforts by local law enforcement to address such acts of vandalism.