A Wichita man was arrested last week after stealing and destroying a historic 800-pound cannon from a local park in a desperate attempt to settle a drug debt, according to local authorities.
Gordon Pierce, 38, admitted to police that he took the 1794 Spanish-American War-era cannon from Riverside Park to appease his meth dealer, who had allegedly threatened to kill him and his family over a $20,000 debt, KSNW reported.
Pierce, a longtime meth user, claimed the debt arose after a pound of meth he was supposed to sell was stolen. Unable to pay, he initially searched for copper statues to sell but instead targeted the cannon, citing its secluded location in the park, according to an affidavit.
As detailed by KAKE, Pierce recruited a homeless man with meth and a pipe to help move the cannon. When lifting it failed, they attempted to tow it with Pierce’s Chevrolet Tahoe.
The chain snapped near an auto shop, forcing Pierce to retrieve another chain and drag the cannon to a friend’s garage, where he cut it into five pieces. Pierce delivered some of the scrap to his dealer, hoping it would resolve the debt.
Instead, the dealer reportedly berated him and issued new threats. Afraid for his life, Pierce confessed everything to his mother before police arrived.
City officials estimate over $100,000 in damage, including $10,000 to the granite base. Pierce remains in custody on a $200,000 bond.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
