Zachary Fuit, a Marine stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, tied the knot with his girlfriend, Abigail Carlson, Saturday evening at or near Bear Creek Campground, about an hour northeast of the naval base.
Then, joined by four of Fuit’s Marine buddies from the base, the couple celebrated their nuptials by breaking into a nearby abandoned elementary school and, ultimately, getting arrested, according to a report from the local ABC-affiliated television station, WEAR-TV.
Fuit, Carlson, Stephen Pepik, Victor Peres, Zachary Barr and Colton Patterson were all arrested in connection to the incident at the former school in Munson and are facing charges of criminal mischief and burglary, according to the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s office.
A police report filed with local authorities said the caretaker of the former Munson Elementary School spotted the group trying to break into the building by prying off wooden boards covering a broken window, the TV station reported. The caretaker had been checking on the building before hearing a loud noise and seeing two people trying to get inside.
The caretaker said he had previously seen two vehicles outside of the school and noted the tag numbers. When he went to investigate the loud noises he heard coming from within the building, he said, the suspects spotted him and left the scene, according to the TV report.
Deputies from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office then conducted two separate traffic stops in the area and items found in one of the vehicles placed the suspects at the scene, said the Sheriff’s Office in a news conference Tuesday.
The suspects told authorities that Fuit and Carlson had just gotten married Saturday evening in the area of Bear Lake Campground, close to the abandoned school, the TV station reported.
All suspects were separated and later questioned regarding the incident.
Fuit is facing an additional charge of theft for stealing items from the building that were reportedly found in the vehicle stopped by deputies, WEAR-TV reported.
