- April 18, 2024
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On Wednesday, Dec. 22, Ormond Beach Police arrested a 51-year-old Ormond Beach man in connection with the Dec. 15 fire at Sanchez Park that damaged $50,000 in playground equipment, which was dedicated to Cameron Brenneman, a 12-year-old Ormond Beach Middle School student who was killed in a car-related incident in 2012.
According to his arrest report, Zachery Edwards approached officers around 8 a.m. on Dec. 15, as they investigated the fire at the playground. He advised that his bike had been stolen the night before and said that he would file a police report at a later time. Two hours later, an officer arrived on the scene to file the theft report.
The missing bike had been found near the playground on the morning of the vandalism, prior to Edwards reporting it as stolen, OBPD reports.Thanks to video surveillance from homes in the area of the park, detectives were able to identify Edwards as a suspect. The fire damaged the park's jungle gym, as well as melted sections of the vinyl fence surrounding the playground. A swing and a plastic car were also burnt. The city does plan to replace the damaged equipment, which has since been removed from the park.
Edwards arrived at the Ormond Beach Police Station around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 22, to retrieve his bike when detectives spoke with him about the incident. During the conversation, Edwards admitted that the bicycle had not been stolen, according to his arrest report, and that he lied because he felt "it was the wrong thing to do to throw it in the creek" and that he thought he would have been charged for that.
When detectives told him that there was video surveillance of him entering the park, Edwards denied ever going into the park and claimed he could tell them nothing regarding the fire. He later changed his story and said that he did enter the park, but only to go sit on the dock and smoke a cigarette.
He was placed under arrest for filing a false police report, and for violating his pre-trial release — as he was arrested on Sept. 24 for other charges. During his interview with police, Edward's arrest report states he "became emotional, started crying and requested Wendy's in exchange for his truthfulness."
He then confessed to starting the fire, saying that he did it because "he hates the world" and that it wasn't due to issues against Brenneman or his family. He wrote an apology letter to Brenneman's mother, the report states.
Edwards is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail with no bond.
