Lincoln man steals skid loader, causes $114,000 property damage

On Sunday, Jan. 14, a man driving a stolen Bobcat skid loader caused over $114,000 in property damage at a U-Stop and Home Depot near 70th Street and Nebraska Parkway.

Samuel Peyrot of Lincoln stole the skid-steer loader from his employer on his thirty-seventh birthday and drove it to the U-Stop, where he caused damage to several vehicles. He then drove to nearby The Home Depot, where he caused damage to several more vehicles. When LPD officers arrived on scene, Peyrot drove directly towards the cruiser, colliding while the officer was inside. Shortly thereafter, Peyrot was taken into custody at gunpoint. He is also accused of damaging the outside of two buildings with the skid loader.

Eyewitness Jeff McRichards described the last few minutes of Peyrot’s spree to USA TODAY: “I was buying some parts to fix my washing machine ... It was crazy, some guy stole a Bobcat... went on a rampage. (He) destroyed the front doors of a liquor store, destroyed cars in a Taco Bell parking lot, and an ATM before going after the cop car.”

Peyrot appeared in court on Wednesday, Jan. 17, and was charged with second degree assault on an officer, second degree assault and five counts of criminal mischief. His bail was set at $100,000, and he is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 15. He is also scheduled to be sentenced on unrelated misdemeanor domestic violence and child abuse charges on Jan. 26.

In an interview with KETV NewsWatch 7, Peyrot’s girlfriend, Kelly Effle, said she believes his behavior has impacted by prescription drugs and sleep deprivation. As a snow removal contractor, Peyrot had not slept in four days. Hours before the incident, Effle says she took Peyrot to a hospital for incoherent speech and delusional behavior. He was treated with a saline solution IV and released. Effle believes Peyrot probably didn’t know what he was doing, and was not angry, drunk, or high.

Credit USA TODAY

By Annika Cambigue