A St. Augustine man has been arrested and charged with felony criminal mischief and destruction of evidence following a targeted act of vandalism against an elderly neighbor, authorities said.
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on the evening of September 22, 2025, after the suspect, Nicholas Ruggeri, 34, allegedly slashed the tires on a car belonging to the victim and splattered the vehicle with brown paint.
The elderly resident of the neighborhood had reportedly asked the suspect earlier to clean up after his dog, which had been frequently relieving itself around the area without being cleaned up after, police said.
According to a sworn statement from the victim, the vandalism followed shortly after the confrontation, court papers state.
Ruggeri later provided a full confession, admitting to using a knife and paint in the act before discarding the evidence in a dumpster to obstruct the probe, according to a police report.
The car will require a new paint job, which deputies noted can run up to $10,000. The slashed tire will run an additional $500, the report states.
The case is currently pending with the State Attorney’s Office.
