EASTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A Vermont man on his way to Boston to purchase a pair of sneakers got lost in Easton, destroyed three cars, and set fire to two garbage cans in an effort to attract help from the police after misplacing his cellphone early Thursday morning, officials said.
Officers responding to a report of a man who had vandalized vehicles and started a fire in the roadway near 14 Truman Drive around 4:30 a.m. found 47-year-old William Monahan, of Rutland, standing in the driveway of a nearby home, according to the Easton Police Department.
When questioned about all of the smashed car windows and the burning pile of rubbish, police say Monahan appeared intoxicated and told officers that he had traveled by bus from Vermont to purchase a pair of sneakers in Boston.
Monahan was unable to explain how he arrived in Easton and had no relation to anyone in the area where he was located, according to police.
During an investigation at the scene, Monahan allegedly stated that he was upset after losing his cellphone and needed to find a way to contact the police for help. He went on to explain that he “decided to destroy the two vehicles because he believed someone would eventually call the police.”
After vandalizing the vehicles, police say Monahan emptied two trash barrels and set the contents ablaze.
Monahan is charged with two counts of malicious damage to a motor vehicle and two counts of arson.
He was slated to be arraigned in Taunton District Court.
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