Quintal vandal sentenced to jail

A 22-year-old Mitchell man was sentenced Tuesday to 180 days in jail and ordered to pay nearly $22,000 in restitution for a string of vehicle thefts and acts of vandalism last summer.

Daniel Tingle received a suspended five-year prison sentence, was put on probation for three years and fined $250 in addition to the jail time and restitution.

Tingle pleaded guilty Dec. 4 to one count of intentional property damage valued at more than $1,000 but less than $100,000, a felony. Prosecutors dismissed a grand theft charge in exchange for Tingle’s guilty plea.

The charge arose from a series of incidents in the early morning hours of July 23 when Tingle stole and wrecked a number of vehicles, and drove one through fences surrounding Joe Quintal Field, which caused $4,500 in damage.

Tingle was under the influence of alcohol during the incident and his attorney, Randy Stiles, of Mitchell, said Tingle has had no violations of the state 24/7 Sobriety program since his arrest, indicating he has begun to deal with his alcohol problem.

Davison County State’s Attorney Jim Miskimins asked Judge Tim Bjorkman to order Tingle pay $21,892.08 in restitution to at least 10 victims of Tingle’s vandalism spree, but left all other sentencing decisions to Bjorkman .

In a statement to the court prior to sentencing, Tingle admitted he has a drinking problem.

“The person that I was acting like is not the person I actually am,” he said.

Bjorkman said he was alarmed by Tingle’s history of alcohol abuse and described his crime as a “rampage” with a “reckless disregard for property.”

Bjorkman ordered Tingle to serve the first 30 days of his jail time immediately, then 30 days starting July 1, 60 days starting Jan. 1, 2014, and the final 60 days starting July 1, 2014.

Tingle narrowly avoided a prison sentence.

“I planned to give you a penitentiary stay because what you did not only offended a broad sector of the community, but you risked people’s lives,” Judge Bjorkman said.

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