June 23, 2008
Brandon Haught
Public Information Office

THREE BOYS CHARGED FOR SCHOOL VANDALISM 

Volusia County Sheriff's deputies nabbed three young boys Sunday night fleeing Heritage Middle School in Deltona following a rampage through the campus that caused an estimated $40,000 in damage. Windows were smashed, spray painted graffiti was found throughout the school, and books and electronics were damaged by discharged fire extinguishers. One of the boys also is suspected in a break-in at another Deltona school last week. 

Deputies responded to Heritage Middle School, 1001 Parnell Court, at approximately 7:18 p.m. when alerted to a possible break-in by a silent alarm. When the first units arrived on scene, they spotted a suspect near the northeast corner of the school property who then fled upon seeing the patrol cars. While some deputies searched the school buildings, noting the damage and looking for suspects, other deputies searched a wooded area where the fleeing suspect was last seen. Samuel Zayas, 12, and Max Jezziel Negron, 11, were found in the woods and apprehended. Negron’s older 15-year-old brother, Max Joel, was found a short time later near the intersection of Courtland Boulevard and Noah Street. During questioning the boys admitted to breaking into the school and vandalizing it. 

Zayas also said he had broken into and vandalized Friendship Elementary School, 2746 Fulford Street, on Friday. A fire extinguisher had been discharged in the school’s cafeteria and two portables had been broken into. The damage at the elementary school was substantially less than the middle school, though, initially estimated at about $400. 

The youngest two attend Heritage Middle while the 15-year-old attends Pine Ridge High School. All three face the following charges in relation to the middle school incident: three counts of structure burglary, two counts of grand theft, criminal mischief over $1,000, tampering with evidence, discharging a fire extinguisher, resisting arrest without violence and trespassing on school property. Additional charges against Zayas for the Friendship Elementary incident have not been determined yet. The boys were released to their parents Sunday night.