ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Some city workers had a rough start to their weekend. Police said they came back to their cars to find a vandal had done major damage.
On Friday, Mar. 17, police arrested 46-year-old Danielle MaGee for allegedly damaging dozens of vehicles. Seven were damaged at the parking lot on Fourth Street and Marquette Avenue, and as many as 34 were damaged inside the parking garage under Civic Plaza – where the city council and mayor’s office members park for work. The vehicles that were damaged range from sports cars to SUVs and more.
Erik Strobert was installing glass break sensors at the civic plaza parking garage on Friday. He mentioned MaGee approached him with a baseball bat in hand and asked him how much his car was worth. She told him to leave, as she chased him in his car swinging the bat. “I was completely caught off guard and I didn’t really understand what was going on until she directly threatened me. Then, at that point I was quite startled,” said Strobert. “My first reaction was to get away from the situation.”
He added his team was installing the last glass break sensors on Friday. The same technology that could have prevented the vandalism he witnessed. “It’s quite ironic. I think it’s kind of a tale of why the city is investing in technology like this because these systems come online next week. If she would have waited one week to do this, we would have caught her before she hit 40 cars” said Strobert.
Strobert’s car wasn’t the only one swung at. Photos obtained by KRQE News 13 show a Porsche with the back windshield and passenger side windows smashed in. There was also a Ferrari whose front windshield also saw damage. Even city vehicles were attacked.
The Albuquerque Police Department said MaGee is now charged with felony criminal damage. According to police, MaGee is not a city employee. There’s no word yet on why she attacked the vehicles.
