JEFFERSON COUNTY, Wash. — Two men were arrested in Jefferson County for cutting up the base of a bridge on Department of Natural Resources-managed land last Friday.
According to the DNR, two hunters were in the Clearwater block when they heard chainsaws and contacted DNR officials.
A DNR officer who was already in the area discovered two men cutting chunks out of cedar logs that form the base of a bridge.
The men were arrested and booked into Jefferson County Jail on felony charges. Their vehicle and equipment were held as evidence.
“The cedar chunks would be sold on the black market for mill owners to turn them into shake and shingles,” the DNR said in a tweet.
The bridge that was damaged was behind a locked gate, but the lock had been broken off. The bridge will have to be inspected to ensure it’s safe.
“This is incredibly dangerous for our staff who work in the woods, as well as members of the public,” a tweet from DNR said.
Anyone who sees anything out of place on DNR-managed lands is asked to report it to DNR police at 1-855-883-8368 or email forestwatch@dnr.wa.gov.