3 teens charged with vandalizing schools in Oconee Co.

Three teenagers in Oconee County are charged with causing more than $10,000 in damage to six athletic fields at two schools.

Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry says three teenagers drove on the turf at North Oconee High School early Friday, doing donuts and carving out geometric designs.

"This does not fit anyone's definition of a prank. This was a significant amount of damage. This isn't funny at all," said Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry.

Oconee County Schools Assistant Superintendent Brook Whitmire says the district had just put $20,000 into new sod for their fields and now all that work is destroyed.

"We had placed significant dollars into upgrading the fields over the summer and at this point, we're in the process of repairing those fields," said Whitmire.

School administrators at Prince Avenue, a private school in Oconee County, say substantial damage was done to four of their fields, including the softball field.

Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry says three teenagers drove on the turf at North Oconee High School early Friday, doing donuts and carving out geometric designs.

"They spray-painted obscene drawings and obscene words," said Berry.

In addition to graffiti, investigators say the teens destroyed the turf on Prince Avenue's football field, their baseball diamond and practice fields.

"It just costs taxpayer dollars, and it's expensive. Whatever this was is extremely expensive to citizens here in Oconee County," said Berry.

Berry said police arrested James Shirley, Sean Barry and Iwan Human on Friday afteoon. The suspects are former students at Oconee High, North Oconee and Prince Avenue, according to the sheriff.

"The consequences are a felony charge and a night in the jail -- a least one night in jail," said Berry.

All three young men are now facing felony charges.