By james art Investigators are searching for the person or people who scrawled graffiti on the side of a San Bernardino County rescue helicopter at the Hesperia Airport, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
The act of vandalism was first reported shortly after 5:20 a.m. Sunday at the airport in the 7000 block of Summit Valley Road, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials.
“The suspect(s) defaced the helicopter with graffiti,” according to department spokeswoman Gloria Huerta. “Damage is estimated at several thousand dollars.
Photos of the damage show both sides of the Mercy Air helicopter covered in spray-painted letters, including the plane’s side windows.
The investigation was ongoing and there was no description of a suspect as of Sunday evening.
What is Mercy Air?
Mercy Air, operated by Colorado-based Air Methods, provides contracted air ambulance services to areas in California and Nevada.
In the absence of a local trauma center to handle the most severe medical emergencies and injuries in the High Desert, San Bernardino County EMS relies on such contracted services to transport critically ill or injured patients to designated trauma centers, such as the Medical Loma Linda University Center, far faster than the ambulances could reach.
Anyone with information can contact the Hesperia Police Department at (760) 947-1500. Information can also be submitted anonymously to the We-Tip Hotline at (800) 782-7463.
This article originally appeared on the Victorville Daily Press: Rescue helicopter vandalized with graffiti at Hesperia Airport