Lang
8/16/23
Iowa City Police have made an arrest in a downtown vandalism case that saw over a dozen businesses damaged.
20-year-old Paul Waikel of Wildberry Lane was booked into the Johnson County Jail just after midnight Wednesday. Police say Waikel was recorded on video painting the words “Slug”, “Junky”, “Kill your ego”, and “Krast” on four different downtown businesses between 10:30pm on July 23rd and 2:45am on July 24th. A still image from one of the videos was shared by police on social media, and the next day five different emails and a Crime Stoppers tip identified the suspect as Waikel.
One of the phrases used in the vandalism, “Kill your ego”, also appears on Waikel’s Instagram account.
The words, style and colors were painted on 15 different downtown Iowa City businesses. The total damage is estimated at $5,100.
Waikel is charged with 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison.