PROVO — Formal charges have been filed against eight University of Utah baseball players in the defacement of the "Y" on the mountain above Brigham Young University.
Each player, including the Utes' leading hitter and top starting pitcher, faces one count of criminal mischief, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, according to 4th District Court documents.
Deputy Utah County Attorney Curtis Larson, who screened the case, said the charge best fit the information presented in the police report.
"There's no such crime as vandalism," he said. "It's all the same thing. It's all criminal mischief."
All eight players are scheduled to appear before Judge Anthony Schofield on June 21. Larson said he has prepared a summons to be sent to each player, many of whom were standouts.
The players include Jay Aaron Brossman, 19, a freshman from Washington who leads the team with a .383 batting average, and pitcher Jason R. Price, 20, who leads the team with 15 starts. Price, who is from West Jordan, is 3-8 with a 6.22 earned-run average.
Also charged are Ryan Robert Breska, 23; Eric Chevalier, 22; Ryan James Florence, 21; Tyler James Kmetko, 19; Tyson Leif Olson, 21, and Jacob Rey Waldram, 20.
BYU officials noticed four or five red U's painted on the large, white landmark early on May 1, BYU grounds director Roy Peterman said. BYU's grounds crew was able to paint over the vandalism by 11:30 that morning.
BYU police said they received a tip on May 10 from an official at a Fred Meyer store in Salt Lake City that an employee had developed photos of people painting on the landmark.
Police arrested Breska, a pitcher on the U. baseball team, when he came to the store to pick up the photos, BYU Police Capt. Michael Harroun said.
Police suspect the Utah players defaced the Y because of the school's rivalry with BYU. The schools played baseball games on April 30 and May 1.
The other baseball players were identified from the photos, police said. All eight players were suspended for one game on May 12 against Utah Valley State College.
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