By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
Two teenagers were arrested Monday after investigators say they cut down and smashed a Flock camera in Kanarraville. A fundraiser supporting their legal defense has raised about $11,000.
Kody Warren Nyborg, 18, and Woodruff Warren Barlow, 19, were booked into the Iron County Jail Aug. 24 on suspicion of criminal mischief involving losses of at least $5,000, a second-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a third-degree felony.
Both were released after posting $10,000 cash bail each, Barlow on Aug. 24 and Nyborg on Aug. 25. Their release paperwork lists court appearances Sept. 8 in 5th District Court.
The arrests come amid an ongoing debate over license plate readers and a series of incidents involving damaged or stolen cameras throughout Iron County.
According to the charging documents, the arresting officer described the destruction of one camera in Kanarraville but did not connect either teen to earlier incidents that were reported by Cedar City Police Department.
Dustin Barlow, who described the teens as friends on a Facebook post, organized a GiveSendGo fundraiser to help cover legal fees, bail and other expenses. The campaign has a $50,000 goal.
Dustin Barlow said the money would help with bail and securing attorneys for both teens. He framed the case as part of the opposition to Flock cameras.
“We need to show the government that we are serious about getting these cameras out of our communities and that their law fare isn’t going to stop us,” he wrote.
Iron County sheriff’s deputies responded Aug. 23 to a report that someone was cutting down a Flock automated license plate reader at 410 S. Main St. in Kanarraville, court records state.
A witness reported hearing a power saw and seeing the camera smashed before those involved ran toward a vehicle.
A deputy found the camera pole cut off at its base and lying in the dirt. The solar panel was shattered, the camera appeared to have been struck repeatedly with a large hammer and its wiring had allegedly been cut.
While deputies investigated, a Cedar City police officer saw a white Volkswagen Jetta traveling north from Kanarraville on Old Highway 91. The officer followed it into Cedar City and stopped the driver for speeding.
The officer reported seeing a sledgehammer and a saw blade on the rear floorboard. Woodruff Barlow, who was riding in the passenger seat, admitted during a roadside interview to damaging the camera system, the affidavit states.
Police detained Barlow and Nyborg, the driver, and took them to the Cedar City Police Department for interviews.
Investigators obtained a search warrant and recovered a sledgehammer, a reciprocating saw and a saw blade from the car. Court records show the saw had been wrapped in a black trash bag to hide it, and other bags had been used as ponchos to conceal the teens during the incident.
During separate interviews both teens reportedly admitted intentionally cutting down and damaging the camera system. Nyborg told investigators he got the idea from watching “de-flock America” videos on social media.
In July, Cedar City police reported eight cameras had been damaged or stolen in recent weeks, with estimated damage exceeding $20,000.
Four were discovered cut down and vandalized hours after the City Council unanimously renewed its Flock Safety contract. Three others previously had their wires cut, and another had been stolen.
The council renewed the agreement for two years at an annual cost of $157,500 while directing staff to develop additional oversight measures, including expanded auditing, quarterly public reporting and consequences for misuse.
Police have defended the cameras as an investigative tool, while opponents throughout the country have raised concerns about privacy and civil liberties.