STARKS — State police charged a 19-year-old New Sharon man Thursday with causing about $5,000 damage to a cornfield in Starks with his truck.

According to a news release from Maine State Police Troop C, which covers Somerset County, Kristoffer Welch was arrested at noon and charged with aggravated criminal mischief, a class C felony.

On Monday, police heard about a video on Facebook of a driver in a silver Ford truck spinning its wheels and tearing up a cornfield in Franklin County or Somerset County. Police warned farmers in those areas to check on their fields in case of damage.

Shortly after 6:30 p.m. Monday a farmer off Sandy River Road in Starks called police saying his fields had been significantly damaged. Police went to the field and confirmed it was the same one in the video and estimated damage at around $5,000.

Working with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, police conducted interviews and arrested Welch and booked him into the Somerset County Jail in Madison.

Calls to the Somerset County Jail requesting information on bail were not returned early Thursday evening.

Kristoffer Welch

A farmer’s field off Sandy River Road in Starks had about $5,000 worth of damage from a truck, which was seen in a video posted on Facebook. Police charged 19-year-old Kristoffer Welch of New Sharon with aggravated criminal mischief Thursday. (Contributed photo)

Kristoffer Welch, 19, of New Sharon is accused by police of using this silver Ford truck to tear up a farmer’s cornfield in Starks this week. Damage was estimated at about $5,000. (Contributed photo)

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